Hoegaarden, the Belgian white beer brand distributed by Interbrew,
is reviewing its pan-European creative.
An agency will be appointed to handle a pan-European account covering
markets including the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. Interbrew is talking
to agencies about the business and a pitch is due to take place next
week.
The brief involves relaunching the Hoegaarden brand across Europe. The
size of the budget is unclear, but Hoegaarden is looking to advertise in
several key markets where it has not had an advertising presence to
date.
Hoegaarden has not run large-scale advertising campaigns in the UK,
relying instead on word of mouth and activity in bars to grow sales.
Mother is its agency of record in the UK and has run campaigns such as a
series of holographic postcards and posters in pubs and bars.
Agencies have been through a credentials phase and have also worked on
some creative prior to the pitch. Once an agency has been appointed it
is expected that the Hoegaarden account will be run from the UK.
Previously local agencies, such as Callegori Berville in France and
Morael in Belgium, have worked on the Hoegaarden brand.
Interbrew's UK agencies include Lowe Lintas on Heineken and Bartle Bogle
Hegarty on Murphy's, but non-roster agencies were approached about the
brief.
- Live Issue, p17.