Leagas wins Euro Bacardi vodka task

Bacardi-Martini has appointed Leagas Delaney to handle its multi-million pound pan-European account for vodka brand Eristoff. The non-roster agency won the business after a pitch against several undisclosed European agencies.

The appointment was overseen by Eristoff global brand director Jeff Macdonald, and marks the first time the brand has hired a pan-European agency. Eristoff is positioned as Bacardi-Martini’s standard vodka brand, alongside premium brands Turi and the French premium brand Grey Goose, which it bought last year for an estimated &£1bn.

The company claims that Eristoff is a brand leader in many European markets, and is strong in Spain, Portugal and Italy as well as Austria and the Benelux countries, selling more than 1 million cases a year. The brand is also used to sell flavoured alcoholic drink Eristoff Blue and Eristoff Ice in continental Europe.

The vodka’s marketing centres on the brand being founded in 1806 and derived from a recipe by Prince Mikolaj Aleksandrowicz Eristoff.

Bacardi-Martini last week ended its ten-year relationship with McCann Erickson, which handled its &£9m UK advertising. The company is drawing up a shortlist (MW last week). Both sides failed to agree on a strategy after the successful Tom Cat campaign was withdrawn last year.