UDV reviews Bell’s and Archers £5m accounts out of Court Burkitt

United Distiller’s & Vintner’s (UDV) UK is reviewing its Bell’s Whisky and Archers accounts out of Court Burkitt.

Court Burkitt plans to repitch for the business, which is worth an estimated &£5m in the UK. A shortlist is expected to be drawn up in the next few weeks.

If Court Burkitt loses the two accounts it is likely to be dropped from the UDV roster, which has been a backbone of its business since the agency formed five years ago.

The spirits giant has called the review as part of a shake-up of its marketing services suppliers under new UK marketing director Syl Saller, who joined last year from Allied Domecq.

Saller says: “These brands are at a particular stage of development. We want to be sure that we are getting absolutely the right advertising support to take us on to the next stage, hence this review.

“We are well aware of the great contribution made by Court Burkitt over the years.”

Court Burkitt landed the Bell’s account in 1998 after pitching against fellow roster agency WCRS. Its most recent work for the brand was the “What have you been doing while it matures?” campaign.

Court Burkitt chairman Hugh Burkitt, who has worked with UDV since the Eighties, says: “These are brands we know well. We are confident that we can persuade the new team at UDV UK that we should continue to work with them.

“We have worked on Archers right from the beginning and advertising has played a big part in its success.

“Our work on Bell’s last Christmas contributed towards it gaining market share.”