Britvic abandons HHCL/Red Cell

Britvic Soft Drinks is ending its relationship with HHCL/Red Cell and has put its £6m Robinsons account up for pitch, following a potential client conflict with Coca-Cola, which is also handled by the agency.

HHCL & Partners became part of WPP Group’s Red Cell network in January (MW January 9) and New York sister agency Berlin Cameron/Red Cell works on the core brand Coke Classic in North America.

It is believed that Pepsi, which has a ten per cent stake in Britvic, pressed for the change.

The agency worked on Britvic’s original Tango launch in 1991, but lost the £5m account in February last year to Clemmow Hornby Inge (MW February 7, 2002).

Britvic category director Andrew Marsden says: “We have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with HHCL… however, given that the acquisition of HHCL by Red Cell has resulted in a conflict of interest within the agency, the time is right to look for a fresh approach.” Marsden will oversee the pitch , which is being handled by Agency Insights.

The move also opens up the possibility of HHCL/Red Cell working for Coca-Cola Great Britain, but the agency says that there has been no dialogue so far.

Berlin Cameron/Red Cell recently appointed former global director for Coca-Cola Company brands William Grogan Jr at the Interpublic Group, New York to the new post of president.

Recommended

Britvic abandons HHCL/Red Cell

Marketing Week

Britvic Soft Drinks is ending its relationship with HHCL/Red Cell and has put its £6m Robinsons account up for pitch, following a potential client conflict with Coca-Cola, which is also handled by the agency. HHCL & Partners became part of WPP Group’s Red Cell network in January (MW January 9) and New York sister agency […]

So hacked off with the meejah

Marketing Week

After last week’s revelations of Westminster Council’s addictions to bad puns and confectionery, the Diary is delighted to bring you details of someone else who obviously takes the Diary as a role model – after all, conformity is the spice of life. The Diary is fed up of having to wait for people to drop […]

Wanted: white (goods) knight

Marketing Week

Caroline Parry is right to highlight the poor brand-building performance of white goods manufacturers (MW April 3). However, in a category populated by 71 brands and marques, where a healthy sector share is often a single-digit percentage, I would argue that brand focus is a necessity. If it is not achieved, retailers will retain the […]