Publicis Media has reportedly pipped WPP to the new Magnum Ice Cream Co.’s media business. WPP’s Mindshare handled the ice cream brands as part of the combined Unilever account at WPP. Magnum Ice Cream also includes Ben & Jerry’s (kicking and screaming admittedly) alongside Magnum.
There’s nothing unusual these days about Publicis winning media from WPP. So far this year it has pinched Coca-Cola in the US, Mars globally and Bayer, leading to WPP profit warnings and the departure of CEO Mark Read, replaced by Cindy Rose.
But the Unilever creative and media business is one of the few remaining pillars of WPP’s once-mighty empire. WPP retained most of the media in a review last year. That Magnum, now on its own, wishes to look elsewhere will set alarm bells ringing at WPP. Unilever is an account it cannot afford to lose.
