Heinz has boosted its relationship with Bates Dorland by assigning
the agency pounds 4 million of extra business, including the TV launch
of a range of ready meals.
The agency is shooting ads for Bean Cuisine, a range of baked bean-based
meals, for a TV campaign scheduled to break early next year.
The extra business complements the pounds 17 million Heinz grocery
division business already at the agency.
Dorlands was given the launch task along with a number of other Heinz
frozen and chilled products that were resigned by Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper
earlier this year (Campaign, 23 May).
They include Weight Watchers from Heinz, ready meals and pizzas and
Heinz Bagel Bites. Media buying will be handled by Zenith.
Dorlands’ appointment was confirmed after Heinz researched its proposals
along with those of another undisclosed shop.
The brands had been cut loose by Euro RSCG because of a possible
conflict with Haagen-Dazs, thought to be planning to advertise its own
low-fat range.
Alastair Duff, the Heinz marketing manager, said: ’In Heinz and Weight
Watchers from Heinz, we have two of the most powerful and portable names
in retail. The challenge to Dorlands is to help us make both brands
stand for excellence and excitement in frozen foods.’
Graham Hinton, the Dorlands chairman, described the appointment as ’like
winning a holiday in the Bahamas and then being told you’re going with
Sharon Stone’.
Last month Dorlands hired the Lowe Howard-Spink board account director,
Adam Kirby, to take charge of its Heinz business.