Leo Burnett and WCRS out of £8m Heinz pitch

Leo Burnett and WCRS have lost the Heinz business after being knocked out of the pitch for the food giant’s &£8m advertising account.

The company’s third roster agency, Beattie McGuiness Bungay (BMB), is understood to have made it through to the next round, although it is not clear how many agencies have been shortlisted.

Leo Burnett has worked with the food company since 1998 and WCRS joined the roster in 2001. WCRS handled frozen and baby food, and was given the soup business last year. Earlier this year Heinz moved its sauces account into BMB (MW April 13), which had joined the roster after Heinz acquired HP Foods.

The review was called last month, following a number of senior management changes. In May, Heinz appointed former Procter & Gamble sales director David Woodward as president for UK and Ireland (MW May 11). He replaced Jane Miller, who left the company for personal reasons after a year in the role.

It also brought in Suzanne Douglas, its top marketer in Australia, as chief marketing officer for the UK in July.

There had been much speculation that the food company, which has been battling with declining sales, would review its accounts. It pulled all of its above-the-line advertising last summer following the HP acquisition (MW July 20) and has only invested in limited advertising for its tomato ketchup brand this year.

It had been expected to call a “winner takes all” pitch between the roster agencies but it was extended to non-roster agencies last month (MW August 10).