FCB leads NZ Milk's marketing overhaul

<p>New Zealand Milk will be allocating half of its USdollars 100 million </p><p>global spend to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where the account has </p><p>moved from a disparate collection of agencies to FCB Worldwide, its </p><p>newly-appointed global agency of record. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The network succeeded in expanding the business to three new markets </p><p>within a month of being named AOR for Central and South America as well </p><p>as the Caribbean region. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>FCB's Asia-Pacific president and chief executive officer Ben Barnes </p><p>said: "We put together a global brand exercise for them and a strategic </p><p>vision of where they should go and this dovetailed with their thoughts </p><p>for the business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"They see Asia and Latin America as big growth markets." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>FCB's key task will be to help New Zealand Milk overhaul its marketing </p><p>and brand development processes across the world. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to the company's global marketing director Mike Harley: "Among </p><p>the agency's lead assignments will be to help New Zealand Milk move to a </p><p>global category management system, as well as to develop global brand </p><p>marketing platforms for key brands and to improve synergy, quality and </p><p>efectiveness of marketing activities across key regions." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>FCB has recommended a template campaign on a global basis to New Zealand </p><p>Milk and is presently discussing local market adaptions, said Mr </p><p>Barnes. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said the primary focus would be above-the-line, but the network was </p><p>in talks to expand this to interactive as well. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Market sources say five agencies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO and </p><p>Grey, had pitched against FCB for the global assignment. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>New Zealand Milk declined to comment on incumbent agency arrangements in </p><p>Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>FCB Malaysia managing director Andrew Crombie will coordinate the </p><p>account across Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"They have a good brand coming from a market which is well thought of in </p><p>terms of agricultural imports," said Mr Barnes. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The brand, he added, benefited from the generally positive perceptions </p><p>of the country's healthy, clean and outdoors-type environment. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>