Weiden & Kennedy set to win Aiwa account

Sony-owned electronics brand Aiwa is in final discussions with Wieden & Kennedy over its multi-million pound global creative business after a four-way pitch against Fallon, Strawberry Frog and TBWA Worldwide.

Sony-owned electronics brand Aiwa is in final discussions with Wieden & Kennedy over its multi-million pound global creative business after a four-way pitch against Fallon, Strawberry Frog and TBWA Worldwide. Aiwa has also appointed OMD Europe to handle its media planning and buying.

The appointments are part of a move by Sony to relaunch Aiwa as a youth brand. A range of new products, including Net MiniDisc PC recorders, DVD Hi-Fi products, MP3-compatible portable audio products and integrated audio/visual products, are part of the repositioning.

Aiwa shortlisted Strawberry Frog and BLD Europe to pitch for the pan-European advertising account in January, and it was planning to appoint an agency in time for the launch of the new products in April. But it announced in February that it had decided to run a global pitch.

Sony, which bought the brand last December, is to develop Aiwa as its cutting-edge brand, with youth-oriented advertising to help it fight off competition from rivals such as Sanyo and Toshiba.

Aiwa launched a new logo in January, which will appear on all of its new models. The phrase “enjoy Aiwa” will also appear on packaging during the relaunch.