McCann Erickson takes on Hovis and Quorn business
McCann Erickson has won the Hovis and Quorn accounts after retaining its place on the £26m Premier Foods roster. It will also retain Mr Kipling, Cadbury Cakes, Sharwoods and Bisto.
The food company has split its brands between McCann Erickson and Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy, which won its place on the roster in November (MW November 15).
MCBD has already started work on the Loyd Grossman brand (MW December 6) and was expected to get Ambrosia. It will also handle the Oxo, Batchelors, Branston and Hartleys accounts.
It is understood that Hovis will receive a significant spend this year as part of a move to boost sales of the brand. It was used as the “test brief” during the advertising review and was seen as the key account in the portfolio.
The review, which was called in September, aimed to consolidate the food company’s roster, which included CHI & Partners, Delaney Lund Knox Warren, Publicis, DDB London and McCann Erickson.
DDB, the incumbent agency on Hovis, declined to repitch (MW September 27) and McCann was the only incumbent to make it through to the second round. RKCR/Y&R and WCRS were involved in the pitch at an earlier stage.
The news comes as McCann is understood to have lost the £150m global Walls ice cream business. The agency is thought to have lost the account to Lowe London after a three-way pitch that also included DDB London.
