Burnett lands $3m snack deal

<p>BEIJING: The mainland's leading processed food brand Kangshifu has </p><p>picked Leo Burnett following a three-way pitch to help it launch its </p><p>snack range, an assignment worth close to US$3 million in </p><p>billings. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Burnett beat McCann-Erickson Guangming and Dentsu's joint-venture agency </p><p>Oriental Rihai in the shootout. The agency will provide strategy and </p><p>campaign planning, creative development as well as below-the-line </p><p>promotion for the planned snack line. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Media planning and buying will be handled by the client in-house. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Burnett's integrated campaign for Kangshifu is expected to roll out </p><p>early next year. Ben Tsang, Burnett's Beijing managing director, said: </p><p>"The most important aspect in the agency selection was our idea on how </p><p>to promote the products. We demonstrated we could do so with efficiency </p><p>and some big ideas and that swung it." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Kangshiful will launch the range with two snack products targeted at </p><p>school kids. The agency declined to disclose details of the two launch </p><p>products, but Tsang said one of the products was similar to beef </p><p>jerky. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But, as an example of likely promotions, Tsang said the agency was </p><p>looking at offering premiums, which he believed would go down well with </p><p>the school kids target market. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Kangshifu is already very strong in the beverage and instant noodle </p><p>markets, but it wants to develop the convenience food business, </p><p>especially snacks," said Tsang, adding that the convenience food </p><p>business had been growing rapidly in line with rising per capita </p><p>income. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>One of the top five food brands in China, Kangshifu is owned by Taiwan's </p><p>Tingyi Holdings. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>