DDB loses £12m Weetabix to WCRS

WCRS has scooped the &£12m advertising business for Weetabix from incumbent DDB London. It is understood the cereal company has already moved the account.

Weetabix is believed to have warned DDB that it had one more chance to crack the brief for its creative work earlier this year but it also invited start-up agency Red Brick Road and WCRS to work on ideas.

WCRS was on the final shortlist during the last Weetabix review at the end of 2004 but it lost out to DDB.

There was speculation that the account would move to Red Brick Road because it has poached former DDB chief executive Paul Hammersley and chief strategy officer David Hackworthy. But industry insiders say Weetabix was unhappy at the agency before the pair left.

The move comes just months after Weetabix chief executive Ken Wood decided to move the media planning and buying account out of The Allmond Partnership and into Walker Media without a pitch.

The work that DDB produced for Weetabix was the first campaign to promote the full portfolio of products, which also includes Alpen and Weetos. The campaign also aimed to focus on the health credentials of the brand.

WCRS were unavailable for comment as MW went to press.