Burnett to repitch for Woolworths deal

<p>SYDNEY: One of Australia's biggest advertising accounts, Woolworths </p><p>supermarkets, worth in excess of A$65 million, is up for </p><p>grabs. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Australia's largest grocer and second largest retailer has called for </p><p>expressions of interest from agencies, including long-time incumbent Leo </p><p>Burnett Connaghan & May. The company is expected to make a short list in </p><p>the next few months. Burnett has held the account since 1995 and helped </p><p>develop Woolworth's current 'Fresh Food People' campaign. Its managing </p><p>director, Troy Ruhanen, is confident the agency will retain the </p><p>business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Woolworths warned Burnett that the account would be reviewed more than a </p><p>year ago. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Woolworths is reviewing every facet of its business. The fact that is </p><p>has taken this long to get to advertising is a positive sign," said </p><p>Ruhanen. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>At a time when even the most stable agencies are retrenching staff, few </p><p>shops can afford to lose an account of this size. Woolworth's annual </p><p>advertising expenditure places it alongside major brands such as </p><p>McDonald's. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Ruhanen said the advertising review was part of a large-scale </p><p>cost-cutting exercise by Woolworths called "Project Refresh", which </p><p>began more than two years ago and aimed to save money through </p><p>nationalised buying and improvements in its distribution network. Since </p><p>implementing the project in 1999, Woolworths has reported a 17.6 per </p><p>cent rise in 2000/01 net profit of $428.4 million from $364.1 million the year before. It is expected to sign a three-year </p><p>contract with the winning agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>