Sources said Carlsberg has contacted holding companies about the business, which includes planning and buying for the brewer’s portfolio, including Kronenbourg 1664 and Tuborg, as well as the main Carlsberg brand.
Jens Jermiin, Carlsberg’s vice-president, digital media and production, is overseeing the process. The company spends £6.2 million on media in the UK, according to Nielsen.
Carlsberg appointed OMD to handle its international media account in January 2010, when the business was estimated to be worth £100 million, after a four-month pitch process.
OMD was already the incumbent in Europe, but picked up additional work in Asia, including Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
Carlsberg had previously worked with ZenithOptimedia before appointing OMD in Europe in 2005.
A spokesman for Carlsberg said: "We are in the process of reviewing our media agencies worldwide, but have no further comment to make at this stage."
There has been considerable movement on Carlsberg’s marketing roster this year. In May, the Interpublic agency McCann Erickson and WPP’s JWT both won places on the brand’s advertising roster.
In June, Carlsberg UK hired Publicis Groupe’s LBi to work on digital initiatives across its range of brands. LBi’s first campaign was a social media and branded content initiative for San Miguel Fresca.
The brewer moved the global creative account for Carlsberg to the WPP shop Santo and hired Fold7, the incumbent, to handle Somersby cider in February.
Fold7’s first work for Somersby broke in March. The TV, PR, social media and online campaign was a light-hearted take on the way people anticipate new gadgets by highlighting the cider’s "technical specifications".
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