VML Commerce Win Brown-Forman Australia’s Shopper Marketing Account After Competitive Pitch

Appointed as integrated below-the-line agency of record in Australia, VML Commerce will be responsible for delivering end-to-end Creative Commerce solutions for Brown-Forman’s key retail and on-premise partners, stretching from promotions, shopper marketing, channel strategy and localised brand creative work. The announcement comes after a competitive pitch process that concluded in November.

Brown-Forman and VML Commerce will work together across the company’s portfolio of brands, led by the iconic Jack Daniel’s range, as well as strong growth brands like El Jimador and Woodford Reserve.

The integrated VML Commerce team will be responsible for helping Brown-Forman be chosen by more people, more often in an increasingly competitive liquor market, as the company continues to diversify their offering to evolve with consumer preferences. The integrated VML offering is something unique in the market, combining shopper strategy, channel planning, promotional marketing and world-class creativity across all Brown-Forman brands in Australia, to help supercharge continued growth in glass spirits and RTD.

Oliver Dickson, Brown-Forman marketing director said “We need a partner that’s going to help us think against the grain both strategically and creatively. VML Commerce has demonstrated that they understand how to strategically position key products within our portfolio of brands, while doing so with innovative, best-in-class executional thinking. We’re excited to create standout work together in 2024.”

Belinda Webb, managing partner at VML Commerce, spoke with enthusiasm about the appointment. “It feels quite special to reconnect with Brown-Forman, one of the first accounts I had the privilege to work on, nearly two decades later,” she said. Belinda keenly anticipates the transformative creativity that the partnership will bring about, setting a new standard for below-the-line marketing. "I can’t wait to see us deliver breakthrough creative that breaks the BTL mould for these incredible brands” she added.