BMB takes £7m Carling from Leith Agency

Beattie McGuinness Bungay (BMB) has won the £7m Carling business following a pitch against Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, Euro RSCG and the incumbent, the Leith Agency.

Beattie McGuinness Bungay (BMB) has won the &£7m Carling business following a pitch against Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, Euro RSCG and the incumbent, the Leith Agency.

Carling is the UK’s biggest selling lager brand, with sales of about &£150m to &£155m for the 12 months to June 2005, according to TNS Superpanel. The total UK lager market was worth &£11.3bn in 2005, according to Mintel.

Leith Edinburgh will continue working on other leading Coors Brewers brands, including Coors and Grolsch. But the loss of the Carling account brings into question the future of Leith London, which let five staff go only two weeks ago (MW February 9). Leith London has handled the account since August 2000, when it took it from WCRS.

Carling director of marketing Bill Simcox says: “The Leith Agency has delivered some great advertising for us over the past five years during which time Carling has grown by 37% in volume terms. But we wanted to review to ensure we have the best agency match for the brand’s future.” He adds that BMB would be working on a campaign for Carling running in 2007. The pitch started in November and was handled by the AAR.