O&M clears path for JWT Johnson & Johnson pitch

By Mark Banham, campaignlive.co.uk, Thursday, 24 June 2010 04:10PM

Ogilvy & Mather is set to pull out of the global Johnson & Johnson (J&J) baby products creative review after a global realignment of Kimberly-Clark's advertising arrangements resulted in O&M taking over conflict business from JWT.

Ogilvy will now take control of the Huggies disposable nappies brand from JWT, leaving JWT without Kimberly-Clark products in the baby and childcare sector of the FMCG client's business.

This leaves a clear path for JWT to pitch for the J&J business, which includes its own Baby Care division including iconic brands such as Johnson’s Baby Lotion and Johnson's Baby Wipes.

In May, J&J kicked off a review of the global advertising arrangements for its range of baby products.

The company approached a number of its global roster shops, with a view to holding pitches for the work over the next six months.

The review will incorporate above-the-line advertising, which is currently handled by Lowe, and digital, which is handled by Profero.

In a statement, Kimberly-Clark said: "Kimberly-Clark Corporation today announced it is realigning creative agency assignments within WPP Group agency roster shops in order to receive single agency support globally by sector.

"Effective immediately, Ogilvy & Mather will be responsible for K-C's baby and child care and adult and feminine care brands globally, and JWT will be responsible for the company's family care brands globally."

Tony Palmer, Kimberly-Clark chief marketing officer, said: "This move is made to better position Kimberly-Clark to capture global growth and efficiency opportunities while eliminating potential conflict barriers."

J&J works with a variety of global agencies on its advertising roster, including DDB, JWT, Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, and McCann Erickson.

The global alignment by brand category is not thought to affect Kimberly-Clark’s retained global media agency Mindshare.

JWT referred all calls to the client and Ogilvy & Mather was not available for comment. Johnson & Johnson was also not available for comment.

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk