SABMiller appoints The Bank

SABMiller has appointed The Bank to handle the integrated global accounts for its Grolsch and Pilsner Urquell brands.

The win means that the Bank will now be the lead creative agency across three of SABMiller’s brands, having held the global account for Peroni Nastro Azzurro since 2004.

Neither Grolsch or Pilsner Urquell previously had an incumbent international agency. Grolsch, which is marketed and distributed in the UK by Coors, will continue to be handled by the Leith Agency in this market.

Chris Taylor, group international brands director for SABMiller, says that The Bank is already working on developing “distinctly different, yet equally appealing brand campaigns for Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch that will engage target consumers in our markets”.

Taylor was promoted from the role of European marketing director last September .

Last week, SABMiller reported global lager volumes for its brands fell 1% in the three months to March 31 on an organic basis, blaming deteriorating economic conditions and a fall in consumer demand in the last quarter.