TBWA and Manning Gottlieb OMD win McVitie’s and more from global snack company Pladis
TBWA has been appointed to handle creative and strategic duties for the McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s and Go Ahead! biscuit brands, all owned by global snack company, Pladis.
The win – in partnership with Manning Gottlieb OMD – could be a significant one for TBWA, which has recently lived in the shadow of fellow Omnicom creative agencies adam&eveDDB and AMV BBDO. Some business has trickled in this year, including fintech company Refinitiv and Carwow.
McVitie’s claims to be the UK’s biggest biscuit brand. All its varieties, including Digestives, Hobnobs, Jaffa Cakes and Rich Tea, are included in the win, and a team will be set up at Omnicom’s Bankside HQ in London to service the account.
TBWA and MG OMD, both owned by Omnicom, will start by creating work to promote McVitie’s partnership with Team GB ahead of the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Although none of the brands has been high profile in terms of advertising recently, many of them are very well known and, according to Kantar, are bought by 80 per cent of UK households. McVitie’s most recent campaign was made by Grey London Last year, with a forgettable “masterbrand” ad that featured Rod the train driver and took on the difficult task of tackling loneliness.
Sam Mitchell, general manager of McVitie’s at Pladis UK & Ireland, said: “McVitie’s has been one of the nation’s most-loved brands for 180 years, and our ambition is to ensure it upholds its mass appeal for centuries to come and together with this new partnership, we’ll make that happen.”
Sara Tate, TBWA London’s CEO, said: “We feel immensely privileged to be partnering so closely with some of the nation’s best loved brands. We’re chomping at the bit to help these mighty British brands disrupt the wider market, starting with McVitie’s next chapter of growth and its sponsorship of Team GB.”
Pladis, which is headquartered in the UK, was formed in 2016 when United Biscuits, Godiver Chocolatier, DeMet’s Candy Company and Ulker came together as one global business.