Pol Roger
Champagne brand Pol Roger has initiated a creative review following the collapse of incumbent agency Now, with the process set to be kicked off in October according to Campaign.
The inevitable review follows on from Now’s desperate decision to cease trading last month after a disastrous 2023 in which its income plunged by 48% It had only secured the Pol Roger business in January of that same year.
On the agency’s closure, founder and chair John Townshend said: “I have put all my energy into Now for over a decade, but trading conditions for us smaller independent agencies have been ferocious post Covid (which was itself a battle) – so it is with a heavy heart that we are closing our doors.”
Alzheimer’s Research UK
Charity Alzheimer’s Research UK has opted to unify its media planning and buying account with indie agency Yonder Media. Worth £3 million, the account had previously been held jointly by Yonder and Medialab.
Secured following a competitive pitch process handled by the Aperto Partnership, Yonder Media came out on top against against All Response Media and Universal McCann.
“We’re delighted to be re-appointed by ARUK and continue the work we have started. ARUK is beginning to make real waves as a charity, driving awareness and understanding dementia and the diseases that cause it, and funding some incredible research,” Yonder Media founder, Ed Cox said.
Zooplus
Online per supplies retailer Zooplus has selected independent agency Bicycle International as its new pan-European media planning and buying lead partner.
The move marks the first time the brand has opted to make a significant investment in advertising, with the deal set to cover all 30 of its European markets including the UK.
On the appointment, Zooplus director of offline marketing, Kelly Martin said: “We are confident that this collaboration will allow us to attract even more pet parents and continue to build on our legacy as Europe’s leading online pet platform.”
Aspall Cyder
Historic cider producer Aspall Cyder has chosen London agency Impero to oversee its creative account following a competitive pitch process handled by Ingenuity.
There was no concrete incumbent on the account, but Aspall Cyder has worked with J Walter Thompson (now VML) and BrandOpus in previous years.
“Impero’s energy and dedication to getting under the skin of the brand were impressive. They took a provocative approach to the brand, evaluating the campaign and the choices we needed to make,” Molson Coors marketing controller, Stuart Ayres said.
Volvo
Swedish auto giant Volvo has kicked off a global review of its sizeable (to say the least ) of its £350 million global media account, set to be handled by MediaSense.
Volvo has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Mindshare after a quarter-century’s worth of collaboration with the periodic review set to include several of its top international markets including the UK, US and China.
In a very reserved statement, a spokesperson said: “It is essential that we periodically review our agency model and agency relationships to ensure we can support our business with the appropriate technologies, agility, and speed.”
Volkswagen
Historic German car manufacturer Volskwagen is also set to make some changes, this time with its creative account by choosing to extend its global creative contract with international agency DDB.
The move sees the brand sign with DDB for another three years, and in a glowing indication of VW’s favour – the agency was not required to pitch against any other firm.
“We are proud of the iconic work we’ve done with Volkswagen over the years with DDB at the helm and we are energized about our new and evolving partnership with them,” Omnicom chairman and CEO, John Wren said.