Pepsico in major agency reshuffle
Creative and media agencies handling Pepsico and Quaker brands face a shake-up as a result of Pepsico US’s decision to move all work from Foote Cone & Belding Worldwide (FCB) to Omnicom Group.
Omnicom already handles the bulk of Pepsico’s advertising in the US, but in the UK a number of companies handle the brands.
Companies likely to be affected include Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, which holds the account for Quaker products such as Oats So Simple, Scott’s Porage Oats and Sugar Puffs. The total UK spend for the brands is £3.7m. MediaVest UK handles media buying.
Banks Hoggins O’Shea/FCB looks certain to lose the Tropicana UK account, valued at £1.5m. It could go to BMP DDB, Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO or TBWA/London, all Omnicom subsidiaries. It is thought that Optimedia will retain the media planning account.
Dick Detwiler, vice president of public relations in the US, says that no immediate decision on any non-FCB affiliated UK agencies handling Pepsico accounts had been made.
The consolidation follows Pepsico’s $13.7bn (£9.3bn) acquisition of the Quaker Oats Company.
The agency fall-out had been anticipated after Interpublic acquired True North Communications, which owns FCB, in March. Interpublic handles Coca-Cola business.
