Twinings starts agency trawl for tea business

Twinings is looking for an agency for its tea business as part of a review of the brand’s advertising strategy and spend.

The company is understood to be keen to raise the profile of its hot beverages, which also include Options and Ovaltine.

The review, which will be overseen by marketing manager Elizabeth Edwards, is understood to be in the very early stages, and it is not known which agencies have been approached.

Twinings Tea includes four sub-brands – Green Tea, Speciality Teas, Infusions and Iced Tea. It is not known how much the account is worth, but the company spent just over £450,000 on advertising its teas last year. The incumbent agency is Mitchell Patterson Grime Mitchell.

Twinings, which is owned by Associated British Foods, has restructured its business, a decision sparked by its £171m acquisition of the Ovaltine and Options brands from Novartis last December.

Ovaltine and Options UK marketing manager Paul Simpson moved to Associated British Foods to continue working with the brands. He has already reviewed the £2m Options advertising account, appointing Leith last month.

Leith pitched against Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, which had worked on the Ovaltine brand.