McCann-Erickson is assembling a pitch ’task force’ to help retain
its grip on the pounds 7.5 million Kwik Save supermarket brief, which
stretches back more than 30 years.
Brian Child, chief executive of McCanns in Manchester, which runs the
business, announced this week he would be putting together a team from
both the London and Manchester offices to crack the pitch brief.
The agency is shortlisted alongside Leo Burnett, J. Walter Thompson and
BMP DDB for the review - called as part of an effort by the chain to
ditch its ’cheap and cheerful’ image.
Child said: ’At such a pivotal time in its history, Kwik Save feels it
would like input from other agencies. But our combined resources are a
match for anybody and I’m optimistic we can keep the business.’
The review follows a series of hirings in Kwik Save’s marketing
department.
It is being seen as the prelude to a major repositioning exercise,
likely to include a TV campaign.
Phil Smith, who joined as group marketing director from Kraft Jacobs
Suchard eight months ago, will see pitches in August.
Smith said Kwik Save’s strategy was to attract ’the smart shopper’. He
said: ’We felt it appropriate to cast the net a little wider at this
stage to see what agencies can do.’
The initiative follows last month’s announcement by the chain that it is
to launch a range of 150 quality own-label products, priced about 10 per
cent lower than comparable offerings at Tesco and Asda, into its 900
outlets.
McCanns Manchester has survived several previous reviews of the Kwik
Save account, which it has handled since 1966.
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