Danone Appoints BETC and Havas Creative

Following a global review driven by the US agency consulting R3 for Danone, BETC and Havas Creative have won the communications of the global brands of the group, operating in all countries for their three categories: Waters, Essential Dairy & Plant, Specialized Nutrition. The portfolio includes Danone, Activia, Actimel, Danonino, Alpro, Yopro, Evian, Volvic, but also a number of local brands. BETC and Havas Creative were already handling early life nutrition (Aptamil, Blédina, Gallia, Cow&Gate) and remain the agency for Specialized Nutrition.

This global creative agency review started in October with a long-list of 10 agencies selected by Danone. At the end of October 2022, a RFI process including detailed cases led to a short-list of four candidates. A chemistry meeting was held end of November. Only three networks, Wunderman Thompson, BBDO and BETC with Havas moved to the next stage and got briefed beginning of January on three strategic and creative exercises. The presentations occurred around the 11th of February 2023. Discussions about the operating model went on afterwards and BETC and Havas Creative came out as the final winner.

Inside BETC and Havas, the pitch was piloted by Mercedes Erra, with the support of a talented strategic and creative duo - Dominique Vérot (EVP) et Antoinette Beatson (ECD) - and is a major achievement for the group headed by Yannick Bolloré.

Yannick Bolloré, chairman and CEO of Havas and Chairman of Vivendi, declares: “Havas is honoured and proud to accompany Danone all over the world, in achieving their ambitions for food and health. We will mobilize all our assets – our talents, the strong integration of our businesses, our meaningfulness, and the power of the Vivendi Group."

For Mercedes Erra, this win is another chapter in a long journey with the Danone group, from the launch of the ancestor of Activia, to the Evian saga at BETC, and the corporate vision One Planet. One Health, among other achievements. “A long and beautiful story. Writing the next pages is going to be so exciting. My unwavering attachment to the Danone Group is stronger than ever and I am proud to be able to work with our teams for these brands among which some are not only iconic, but legendary and universal,” says the founder and President of the BETC Group.

“One of our strengths is the power and interconnectivity of our global Network,” said Donna Murphy, global CEO of Havas Creative and Havas Health & You. “With agencies in key specialties and geographies, we have a truly multicultural and multidimensional task force that will be extremely valuable in this continued collaboration with Danone Group. We are excited to see what else we can do as we expand into these additional categories.”