AMV beats BBH to Birds Eye ad account

Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO (AMV) has snatched the £15m Birds Eye advertising account from incumbent Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) following a two-way pitch. The appointment has been made by Martin Glenn chief executive and former president of PepsiCo.

Glenn was hired by the food group last October and is known to have a long standing relationship with AMV.

BBH managing director Ben Fennel says: “This was always going to be an uphill struggle, we know that Martin Glenn has enjoyed success with AMV in the past, so it’s no great surprise that he wants to work with that agency again.” BBH had held the account since 2003.

Birds Eye is also reviewing its media planning and buying business. The account is currently held by MindShare. In a bid to keep the business within parent group WPP, it offered to move the account to Mediaedge:cia.