Global Snacking Brands Pladis Appoints TBWA\London and Manning Gottlieb OMD

Pladis, the global snacking company behind iconic brands like Mcvitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s and go ahead!, has appointed TBWA\London for strategic and creative duties and Manning Gottlieb OMD for media planning and buying.

The newly appointed agencies will work across all McVitie’s brands including Digestives, Hobnobs, Jaffa Cakes and Rich Tea, in addition to the other suite of Pladis brands including Jacob’s, Carr’s and go ahead!. TBWA\London and Manning Gottlieb OMD will be working in a new integrated partnership for Pladis based at Bankside to deliver work across the entire media landscape, from ATL through to new product development.

Both agencies will work to build a new creative platform for core products and future launches, with debut work amplifying the McVitie’s brand’s partnership with Team GB, which runs until the end of 2020. The new appointments are designed to bring fresh strategy and ambition to all aspects of the marketing around Britain’s biggest biscuit brand as McVitie’s looks to strengthen and grow its footprint in the UK and beyond.

Sam Mitchell, general manager of McVitie’s at pladis UK&I, said: “McVitie’s has been one of the nation’s most-loved brands for 180 years, bought by over 80% of households in the UK , and our ambition is to ensure it upholds its mass appeal for centuries to come and together with this new partnership, we’ll make that happen.”

Commenting on the other pladis UK&I brands, Steve Monk, regional brands director at the company added: “It was clear our aspirations for the brands were matched by both agencies, setting a strong foundation for a successful partnership. We were very impressed with their ambitious and disruptive approaches and are very excited to see the first pieces of work come to life over the next few months.”

Sara Tate, TBWA\London’s CEO, added: “We feel immensely privileged to be partnering so closely with some of the nation’s best loved brands. We’re chomping at the bit to help these mighty British brands disrupt the wider market, starting with McVitie’s next chapter of growth and its sponsorship of Team GB.”

David Bratt, Manning Gottlieb OMD’s executive director, head of retail, said: “2020 promises to be an exciting year for McVitie’s along with the other iconic brands under the pladis umbrella; and we look forward to working closely with our partners at TBWA to create a new standard in communications brilliance for such an iconic British brand.”