Mother emerges victorious in £10m competition for Pot Noodle

Mother has won Pot Noodle’s &£10m advertising account after a final contest against Fallon.

Incumbent agency United, formerly HHCL, dropped out of the pitch earlier this month, ending a 12-year association with the brand (MW January 10).

Unilever UK Foods called the review in November in an attempt to reinvent the brand (MW November 24). The project is part of Unilever’s strategy for 2006. It is understood that the company is very concerned to avoid any further marketing failures, such as low-carbohydrate range Carb Options.

The revamp, which will be introduced in May, aims to reinvent Pot Noodle as a snack for all consumers, rather than the core market of 18- to 24-year-old males, particularly students. Unilever aims to attract a wider variety of people, particularly women, to the brand.

The changes are thought to include new packaging and better quality ingredients, as well as the removal of all artificial flavours, colours and preservatives (MW October 27). The move was prompted by a slump in sales in the wake of the Sudan 1 crisis and a shift in consumer habits towards healthier snacks.

Last year, Unilever axed the controversial “Slag of all snacks” strapline and introduced new slogan “Have you got the Pot Noodle horn?” Both lines were developed by United.