Publicis and Zeneca part after ten years
Publicis has parted company with Zeneca Crop Protection after a relationship spanning more than a decade. Zeneca is carrying out a statutory review of its business.
Zeneca is to draw up a shortlist of agencies for the business, which has become highly specialised.
The company does not believe it needs a multinational agency to handle the work.
Peter Clarke, Zeneca business support manager, says: “It’s a big change for us after such a long relationship, but our needs have become increasingly specialised both above and below the line. It’s unlikely we’d choose a top-ten multinational agency for the task.”
Publicis won the crop protection account in 1993 when it was worth 1m. At that time it came out of ICI’s agrochemicals division. This was before the group’s demerger and Zeneca’s creation.
Publicis chief executive Richard Hytner says: “We have had a long and happy relationship with Zeneca Crop Protection and have produced work of which we are both proud.”
The shortlist of agencies to pitch for the business has yet to be decided.