Interpublic suffers further setback to global Coke role

LONDON - Interpublic Group has suffered another blow to one of its flagship global accounts as Coca-Cola shifts the $37m advertising account in France out of McCann-Erickson Worldwide.

Coke has awarded its French advertising account to the Havas-owned BETC Euro RSCG.

The latest blow follows Coke's decision earlier this week to begin a review of its $300m (£186.2m) media-planning and buying account currently held by Interpublic's Universal McCann, which has been invited to pitch.

The loss of the Coke business in France follows that in the US of Coke Classic to WPP Group's Berlin Cameron/Red Cell New York.

That loss was considerably more damaging and helped send shares in Interpublic to a 10-year low, after rumours that Coke had been unhappy with the Interpublic-owned McCann-Erickson's work.

In addition, McCann-Erickson has lost the last of its Coca-Cola assignments in Singapore, as well as the account in Vietnam, continuing a spate of regional shifts that started last year.

McCanns also faces a fight for Coke's media-planning and buying account in China. Several agencies have made credentials presentations, including McCann-Erickson and incumbent ZenithOptimedia.

The creative account, which is handled by McCann-Erickson Guangming, is not under review.

It is not all bad news for McCanns in France, as it hangs on to the recently launched Vanilla Coke business while Diet Coke and Coke Lemon are handled by Publicis Groupe's Publicis Conseil.

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