Four agencies in scuffle for Wyeth's Greater China creative business

Industry sources close to the client disclosed to Campaign Asia-Pacific that Wyeth, acquired by Nestlé from Pfizer Nutrition in April 2012, is asking some of Nestlé's global roster agencies to pitch against incumbent TBWA.

Those agencies are McCann, Ogilvy & Mather, and Publicis, according to sources, who added that the pitch should be decided before the end of the year. The Greater China heads of the competing agencies declined to comment.

Various stages of the pitch will take place in the next two weeks,  sources said. Carat, currently media agency of record for Wyeth, will not be affected.

TBWA has been the key creative partner for the Illuma, Enercal Plus and Wyeth Gold brands in Greater China. Ogilvy currently holds the account of Danone-owned Dumex, which it may have to resign if it wins the Wyeth business.

The reason for the pitch may not be directly attributed to Nestlé's acquisition, because Wyeth still operates as "quite a distinct unit" from Nestlé, according to anonymous sources.

Separately, Wyeth's Brucemond Chan has taken on a new and more senior role with New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra. The former Wyeth Nutrition Hong Kong marketing manager is now senior marketing manager of Anmum at Fonterra Brands Hong Kong. John Cheung remains as the regional president of Greater China for Wyeth Nutrition.