Walsh Trott lands £3m Banks Bitter brief

Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&D) has awarded the £3m creative account for Banks Bitter to Walsh Trott Chick Smith.

Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&D) has awarded the &£3m creative account for Banks Bitter to Walsh Trott Chick Smith.

The agency won the business after a two-way pitch against fellow roster agency Ogilvy & Mather. The incumbent Wallis Tomlinson was not invited to pitch.

Walsh Trott already holds the &£1.5m Marston’s Pedigree business while O&M handles the &£2m Harp account.

W&D centralised media planning and buying for all its brands into Manning Gottlieb Media two years ago.

Wallis Tomlinson created a TV ad for Banks last year, starring former James Bond actor Roger Moore. The agency was forced to change the strapline from “moreish” to “very smooth, very Mooreish, very Banks bitter” after advertising watchdogs decided the original phrase might encourage over-indulgence.

Last week Pubmaster confirmed it intends to make a formal bid for W&D Breweries this month.

Last Tuesday W&D rejected rival offers from Pubmaster and Robert Breare, head of Noble House Leisure, opting instead to press ahead with selling two of its four breweries and some of its pubs, including the Pitcher & Piano chain.

But the brewer says talks will continue with the two bidders while it was in the interests of shareholders.