Walsh Trott Chick Smith wins £1.5m Ryvita task

The Ryvita Company has appointed Walsh Trott Chick Smith to handle its &£1.5m advertising business ahead of a series of product launches outside its crispbread range.

Walsh Trott’s appointment follows a three-way pitch against Brandhouse WTS and Delaney Lund Knox Warren.

The business was held by Publicis, but after three years on the account Ryvita claimed the agency’s work on McVitie’s Go Ahead! low-fat range caused a conflict of interest. The media account, handled by Optimedia, is unaffected by the review.

Walsh Trott’s first brief will be to develop a TV advertising campaign to air later this spring. The &£1.5m investment planned for Ryvita is a marked increase on the company’s previous marketing spend. According to AC Nielsen, The Ryvita Company spent &£231,000 on advertising last year.

Ryvita marketing manager Carol Ware declined to comment on what products the company is planning to launch, but says the Ryvita packaging will be rebranded to coincide with the TV campaign.

She adds: “The brand has such a rich heritage and has underlying strengths that we are committed to exploiting this in the future.”

Walsh Trott’s appointment bolsters the agency’s relationship with Ryvita’s parent company Associated British Foods as it already handles the advertising for Associated’s sugar brand Silver Spoon.