Albion smells victory after 2m pitch for coffee brand

Albion has been tipped to scoop the 2m advertising account for Caf裩rect, the fairtrade hot drinks company, following a pitch against Brooklyn Brothers and Inferno.

cafedirectAlbion has been tipped to scoop the £2m advertising account for Cafédirect, the fairtrade hot drinks company, following a pitch against Brooklyn Brothers and Inferno.

The pitch was overseen by Oystercatchers and it is not believed there was an incumbent on the account.

The agency will be briefed to develop campaigns that will provide the brand with better standout in an increasingly competitive category, while reinforcing Cafédirect’s position as a pioneer in fairtrade coffee in the UK.

In 2006, Cafédirect revamped its corporate identity and product packaging in response to the launch of supermarket own-labels and global competitors such as Nestlé. The rebranding was followed by an advertising campaign, sampling and online promotional activity.

The agency appointment follows the arrival last year of Cafédirect’s chief executive Anne MacCaig. She took over from Penny Newman, who was in the role for nearly a decade.

MacCaig has 20 years’ experience in the packaged goods sector, working on brands including Persil, Dove and Ribena.

In the past, Cafédirect has launched initiatives to ward off challenges from competitors, such as the introduction of new ranges.

Cafédirect was the first coffee brand to carry the fairtrade mark in the UK and is the UK’s biggest fairtrade hot drinks company, according to the Fairtrade Foundation. It works with 39 grower organisations across 13 developing countries, encompassing over 260,000 farmers.