The7Stars licks rivals to win Lily O’Brien chocolate work

The7Stars has won the media planning and buying account for Irish luxury chocolate brand Lily O’Brien. The agency won the business following a pitch against undisclosed agencies.

The appointment comes ahead of a £1m investment in the chocolate brand by founder Mary Ann O’Brien to establish the brand in the UK. It will include the first advertising campaign for the brand, which has been created by Irish agency Rothco. The campaign is based around the theme “created with passion”.

O’Brien says: “The creative is all about conveying Lily O’Brien’s unique brand personality to consumers and encouraging them to share a giggle with us.”

The range, which includes handcrafted boxed chocolates and biscuits, is currently available in a number of British retailers, such as Waitrose, Boots and Debenhams.

The campaign, which will launch imminently, will run across magazines as part of a pre-Christmas push.

O’Brien launched the chocolate company in 1992 from her kitchen “with a couple of saucepans and a wooden spoon”. The company is named after her eldest daughter and has a turnover of £20m. O’Brien has now opened a factory and employs 100 people.

In February, she joined the board of Insomnia Coffee, the Irish chain, and is currently developing a range of exclusive chocolates to sell in its outlets.