Leo Burnett reels in 3m John West

Leo Burnett is expected to win media buying for the 3m John West Foods account after beating Bates Dorland to the creative account.

IDK handled the media buying previously, but the account has been reviewed since Heinz bought John West Foods from Unilever five months ago. A final decision will be made before Christmas.

A bid for the creative account from Bates Dorland, the lead Heinz roster agency, was rejected, despite the recent decision to add 4m of frozen and chilled foods business to its existing 17m grocery account.

Burnett was selected to achieve more synergy across European category management. Bordelais Lemeunier has handled Heinz French fish brand, Petit Navire, for a number of years.

UK seafood director Ian Meadows says: “In recent years the John West brand has lacked the marketing support it deserves. We’ve appointed Burnett to help us formulate a communications strategy to drive the brand and the canned fish category as a whole.”

Marketing strategy will focus on the tuna brand, using the positive associations of John West salmon.