Diageo appoints BBH to £40m Baileys business
Diageo has appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) to the £40m global advertising business for its Baileys range, including its Original Irish Cream Liqueur brand, following a competitive pitch. The incumbent on the account was J Walter Thompson
Diageo has appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) to the &£40m global advertising business for its Baileys range, including its Original Irish Cream Liqueur brand, following a competitive pitch. The incumbent on the account was J Walter Thompson (JWT), which has held the business since 1997.
JWT was appointed to the global account after Diageo fired the Lowe group from its roster and shifted its Malibu, Smirnoff and Baileys brands to the agency on an international basis.
JWT will continue to handle the Gordon’s Edge account and the global advertising briefs for J&B whiskey, the Smirnoff range and Tanqueray Gin.
It is believed that BBH’s brief will be to continue to revitalise the brand, which has been facing growing competition from Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry and Drambuie Cream. In the UK the business is worth &£4.8m.
Publicis Groupe owns 49 per cent of BBH and its UK agency Publicis was appointed earlier this year by rival drinks company Allied Domecq to handle its &£18m advertising account (MW May 1).
Allied Domecq, which owns Tia Lusso and Beefeater Gin brands, ended its contract with the now-defunct Cordiant Communications days before the advertising group was due to announce its preliminary results. Cordiant Communications owned Bates UK and direct marketing agency 141.
