Woo wins 2m Castlemaine XXXX account

The Engine Group’s sales promotion arm, Woo, has won the £2m integrated advertising account for lager brand Castlemaine XXXX following its split with Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) last year.

Woo will handle all marketing activity for Castlemaine XXXX, including outdoor and press advertising and below-the-line work. The agency was appointed to handle the below-the-line account for another InBev brand, Beck’s, last summer (MW August 17, 2006).

InBev will also work with Engine’s PR agency, Slice. InBev group marketing manager Vikki Babb says: “The Engine model of integrated communications, combined with Woo’s creativity, has delivered an idea for XXXX that we’re all very excited about.”

BBH parted company with Inbev brands Castlemaine, Boddingtons and Murphy’s in October last year. It is not known whether Woo pitched for the Castlemaine business or was handed the account. The agency situation for Boddingtons and Murphy’s remains unclear.

BBH’s split with InBev ended a 15-year relationship that produced some of the UK’s most famous beer advertising, including the “The Cream of Manchester” campaign for Boddingtons.

InBev said at the time that it was shifting its marketing investment for the brands below-the-line, with a focus on direct activity and sponsorship. But Woo has come up with a new advertising idea for the brewer and, although it will not produce any televisions ads, the idea will be featured in press and outdoor ads, as well as below-the-line activity.

Inbev’s decision to move away from TV advertising follows a similar move by Heineken, which has moved its spend into press and outdoor.