Mother scoops 20m Stella account

Mother has won the 20m Stella Artois account after a two-way final pitch against Publicis. The appointment comes just months after the agency picked up the launch account for Stella’s new 4% variant earlier this summer.

Mother has won the £20m Stella Artois account after a two-way final pitch against Publicis. The appointment comes just months after the agency picked up the launch account for Stella’s new 4% variant earlier this summer.

The review was called earlier this summer after long-term incumbent Lowe London resigned the account after 26 years. It came just days after it lost the pitch for the 4% variant to Mother.

It is understood the InBev did invite Lowe to repitch for the account but the agency decided not to go ahead due to an increasingly strained relationship. It is thought to have been caused by the AmBev and Interbrew merger in 2004 and a changing line-up of marketers.

Stella UK marketing director Devin Kelly stepped down in January (MW, 30 January) and was quickly followed by chief executive Richard Evans, who stepped down after 14 years in February.

Mother has recently launched its campaign for the new 4% variant, which highlights that it has been triple filtered for a smooth taste. It plays on the brand’s continental heritage on using a French Riviera and has the strapline “La Nouvelle Smooth”.