Burnett wins 13m Somerfield

Leo Burnett has won the 13m Somerfield account after pitching against J Walter Thompson and McCann-Erickson.

The agency is to present its work to Somerfield chief executive David Simons, and he is expected to ratify the decision to appoint Burnett, taken by the advertising committee that has overseen the pitch.

Stephen Whyte, managing director of Leo Burnett, says: “We are due to present to the chief executive in the next two weeks, and we are excited about working with the Somerfield team to produce fresh advertising for the brand.”

The pitch was called last October. Somerfield’s incumbent of nine years, RPM3, declined to repitch and Ogilvy & Mather and Grey were knocked out before Christmas leaving the three agencies for the final pitch.

Somerfield’s advertising committee overseeing the pitch comprised brand marketing controller for Somerfield stores Martin Sutherland, group marketing director Phil Smith and brands communications director Alan Shepherd.

Somerfield merged with Kwik Save last year, and McCann-Erickson will continue to work for Kwik Save as the two chains are integrated. Somerfield has about 600 and Kwik Save 850 stores. The process of changing most stores to the Somerfield name will last over three years.

Universal McCann won the centralised media planning and buying for the combined company last September after pitching against CIA Medianetwork, Somerfield’s incumbent.