HHCL loses in £3m Godiva pitch

Godiva, the luxury Belgian chocolate manufacturer, has consolidated its &£3m-worth of global advertising accounts into New York-based agency Margeotes/ Fertitta & Partners. The decision means its European agency, HHCL/Red Call, has been dropped from its roster.

The company started the review as part of plans to refocus on its core US and Japanese markets, and decrease its advertising in Europe. It invited both of the roster agencies to pitch and it is understood it did not speak to outside agencies.

The decision marks a U-turn on the strategy introduced last year when it appointed HHCL to relaunch the brand in an effort to take on rivals including Charbonnel & Walker and Lindt (MW March 25, 2004). Previously all advertising had been handled at Margeotes/Fertitta, which developed a print campaign in 2002 showing a woman in a museum eating a chocolate with the strapline “Who says quality time has to be spent with someone else?”.

Godiva has stores in several European capitals, including London, and a number of dedicated “boutiques” and outlets in department stores and speciality shops worldwide.

The company also operates an online ordering service.