MediaCom retains international P&G Prestige Beauty account

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is understood to have reappointed incumbent MediaCom to the strategic planning of its global Prestige Beauty fragrance marketing business.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is understood to have reappointed incumbent MediaCom to the strategic planning of its global Prestige Beauty fragrance marketing business.

The WPP Group-owned agency pitched against others thought to include roster agencies Starcom and Zenith Optimedia, both part of Publicis Groupe (MW June 2). The pitch is not thought to affect local agency arrangements.

Separately, MediaCom has also picked up the business in Latin America.

In 2003 MediaCom lost its P&G media planning responsibilities in the UK with the bulk of the £162m business going to ZenithOptimedia (MW April 10, 2003). Starcom handles much of P&G’s planning and buying outside the UK.

P&G Prestige Beauty markets fragrances including Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Giorgio Beverley Hills and Valentino. This year, it launched its first fragrance, V, since buying the Valentino licences in 2003. V was launched with a global budget of more than £15m. Last year it spent more than £4.2m advertising Hugo Boss in the UK.

P&G has made no secret of its expansion plans and aims to become one of the top ten women’s fragrance houses. It is said to be interested in acquiring Dolce & Gabbana’s perfume licence. Other launches include Hugo Boss and Lacoste extensions.

Prestige Beauty is the second big win for MediaCom in a month. Shell appointed MediaCom and WPP Group agency Maxus to handle its $244m (£134m) global media planning and buying account. The agencies pitched under the name Team Media for Shell, working together for the first time since WPP’s acquisition of MediaCom’s holding company, Grey Global, this year.