Bulmers starts agency trawl for Woodpecker and Scrumpy
HP Bulmer is reviewing the advertising accounts for its cider brands Woodpecker and Scrumpy Jack. The review does not affect the Strongbow brand, handled by TBWA/London.
Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO is the roster agency for Woodpecker; TBWA handles Scrumpy Jack. Both brands have spent less than a &£1m in advertising over the past two years.
As part of the review, Bulmers is looking for an agency for its Bulmer Traditional cider brand.
The review is being overseen by Bulmers group marketing director Jon Eggleton. He says: “We are looking to revitalise the entire cider category, and both Woodpecker and Scrumpy Jack have been dormant brands for a long time. The plan is to look beyond Strongbow, which is already the dominant player in the market.”
Bulmers has issued a string of profit warnings in the past 12 months, after it discovered a “black hole” in its accounts and ousted a number of board directors including chief executive Mike Hughes. He was replaced by the former head of Whitbread’s brewing arm, Miles Templeman.
Last week, the cider manufacturer announced a massive push for its Strongbow brand, with a 68 per cent increase in the brand’s advertising budget (MW last week).
