Scottish Courage puts 3m Beck’s up for pitch
Scottish Courage is continuing its review of advertising agencies by inviting roster agencies to pitch for the 3m Beck’s Bier advertising account.
It is understood that Scottish Courage has shortlisted incumbent Barker & Ralston and roster agencies M&C Saatchi and Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe for the lager pitch, which takes place in two weeks.
Beck’s has used Barker & Ralston for the past three years, although last year its much-derided “green sails” UK ads were created by German agency BBDO-DB. In August, Barker & Ralston launched a press and poster campaign for the brand criticising the European Community’s bureaucracy with the strap-line “keep them out of our beer”.
The continuing review of brands by the brewing giant comes after its formation last year when Scottish & Newcastle bought Courage.
It is understood that marketing director John Nicolson intends to slim the roster of agencies for the 25m advertising budget down to four.
The McEwan’s Lager account is still to be assigned, and Scottish Courage is now going through a lengthy review of accounts handled by Young & Rubicam, Collett Dickenson Pearce and Rainey Kelly (MW August 16). The company embarked on the revision of its agency roster earlier this year, as exclusively revealed in Marketing Week (May 17). CDP and McCann-Erickson Scotland lost the McEwan’s ales business, which was handed to Faulds Advertising.
