Twinings to review 4m ad account

Twinings, the tea brand owned by Associated British Foods, is reviewing the £4m advertising account, currently held by Lowe London. The agency is understood to have declined to repitch for the business.

The company has already started talking to agencies about the account although it is not clear if it includes the Ovaltine or Options hot beverage brands. The review will be overseen by marketing director, Clare Hodge.

Lowe has handled the account, which also includes the Options and Ovaltine hot beverage brands, since 2005. It beat Mustoes to win the account following a two-way shoot out.

The review was carried out by the then marketing director Chris Rigby, who left the company directly after the pitch, and was replaced by former United Biscuits marketer Hodge (MW January 26, 2006).

The agency bought in comedian Stephen Fry as the star of Twinings’ advertising. Last week, the Advertising Standards Authority did not uphold complaints that an ad for Twinings’ Earl Grey has promoted racial stereotypes (MW last week).