The move follows the appointment of Kim Manley as chief marketing officer in September last year. Manley restructured the group's marketing team following the acquisitions of brands from drinks giant Diageo and others from Warner Bros and Coca-Cola.
Allied Domecq has awarded the marketing services work for all its key brands to 141 Worldwide, part of Cordiant Communications. Part of this work will see 141 involved in the drinks brands' strategic development.
Bates Worldwide, also a Cordiant company, takes on above-the-line work for Ballantine's and Tia Maria; Omnicom-owned BBDO has the contract for Beefeater, Stolichnaya and Kahlua; and dRush Marketing, a joint venture between the Interpublic Group of Companies and music tycoon Russel Simmons of Def Jam Recordings, will handle the Courvoisier and Sauza tequila brands.
Meanwhile, Optimedia will handle worldwide media planning and buying, with help from sister agency Zenith Media in certain markets.
Manley said, "The importance of these revised agency agreements for Allied Domecq can not be underestimated. Quite aside from the financial synergies, which sees up to £20m freed up to reinvest into marketing, for the first time the brands can rely on an extremely robust network of agencies to ensure the consistent delivery of global trademark strategies in local markets."
Allied said it will continue to hire specialist agencies for specific promotional PR work when the need arises.
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