Publicis wins 5m Kumala Wines pan-Euro ad account

Kumala Wines has appointed Publicis to handle its £5m pan-European advertising account. The agency has been tasked with repositioning the brand as a more premium offering.

Publicis was appointed following a three-way pitch, which included Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest and incumbent Ignito.

The first phase of the campaign will launch in the UK in October and will build on, and create awareness of, its new positioning.

Clare Griffiths, vice-president of European marketing for Constellation Europe, which owns Kumala, believes this year will be “a big year for the brand”. The campaign also coincides with the roll-out of its new packaging.

Constellation Europe took on Kumala when it bought Flagstone Winery earlier this year, with the wine brand earmarked for further investment. Flagstone has become a hub for Constellation’s South African wine production and portfolio, which includes luxury brand Mary le Bow, Fish Hoek and Ses’fikile.

According to Publicis, Kumala is the number one South African wine brand in the UK, represent-ing almost one in three bottles of wine sold from that country.