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