According to JWT Shanghai MD Michiel Hofstee, the agency will work with Smirnoff’s existing China activation agency, U-Boat.
To date, Smirnoff has focused more of its efforts below-the-line in China, but that is expected to change. “The market is ready for education. The whole white spirit market is relatively small, and within that Smirnoff’s market share is not really high,” said Hofstee.
“If we are able to grow the segment as well as share we should be able to make a difference.” It is believed that JWT secured the brief following a pitch. Smirnoff moved its global creative business from BBH to JWT in 2006.
