Although Y&R has a global alignment with Bacardi, the liquor major opted to go with Burnett in India. “At the time of the pitch, almost the entire Rediffusion Y&R’s Delhi office was in and out,” said Mahesh Madhavan, president and CEO, BMI. “Burnett suited our current needs better.”
“It is an awesome portfolio of brands,” said Arvind Sharma, CEO and chairman, Burnett. “Any agency would give an arm and a leg to work on these brands.”
Bacardi Martini has moved its entire portfolio of brands to Burnett. The agency will also oversee the roll-out of Bacardi Martini’s premium vodka brand Eristoff.
BMI will focus mainly on below-the-line activation; in particular, Bacardi BLive music CDs.
BMI also recently moved its US$5 million media buying and planning business to Madison Media, just seven months after switching from Lodestar to The Media Edge.
