Rainey Kelly lands £4.5m Novartis task

Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R has picked up the &£4.5m UK Ovaltine and Options drink accounts from Novartis Consumer Healthcare. Meanwhile, it has declined to repitch for the &£4m Thorntons account.

Thorntons denies it called a review because of a possible conflict of interest after Rainey won the &£26m Marks & Spencer account.

The Novartis business has been moved out of Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, which had held the &£3m Ovaltine account since 1994.

Young & Rubicam handles Ovaltine in European markets, including Switzerland.

Novartis UK marketing director Alastair Paton says the decision was taken to bring about the “international co-ordination” of the Ovaltine brand. “We are sharing more information about marketing across different European countries, to see if there are synergies in the brand positioning.

“The decision comes with some regret because we have two agencies that are as excited about the future of the Ovaltine brand as us.

“AMV had some interesting and strong creative work but we were keen on Rainey’s strategic vision for the brand. In the long term, an international perspective is important for brand building.”

Paton says Novartis spent &£1.5m on Options last year. The next year’s budget has yet to be finalised.