Dairy Crest appoints Universal McCann to handle media

Dairy Crest, owner of the Country Life and Dairy Crest brands, has appointed Universal McCann to handle its media planning and buying account following a pitch.

John Lydon in country life advert

The agency won the business after a three-way shootout understood to have to have involved incumbent John Ayling & Associates and PHD. Paul Fraser, the company’s marketing director led the pitch.

The Interpublic Group owned agency will handle media across Dairy Crest’s portfolio of brands, which also include St Ivel and Utterly Butterly.

Last year, the dairy firm launched a major multimedia push for Country Life with a campaign starring ex-Sex Pistol John Lydon.

The “Great British Butter” campaign, created by Grey London, helped boost sales of the butter brand by 85% last year.

County Life has also sponsored TV channel Blighty for its first two weeks on-air while Utterly Butterly recently signed a deal with ITV to sponsor “Do the funniest things…” series of shows on ITV1.

John Alying & Associates had handled the media planning and buying duties for seven years.