BANGKOK PepsiCo Thailand was close to handing OMD the bulk of its media planning and buying business at press-time, after nearly a year-long media review aimed at consolidating its beverages and foods accounts in the country.
The US$23 million account was previously split between MindShare and OMD. The WPP media agency handled the US$18 million beverage business, while Omnicom's media brand managed the $5 million Frito-Lay brief.
Sources said OMD will now handle all of PepsiCo's planning on its beverage brands, as well as buying for both food and beverages. "There are a few issues to be resolved concerning local bottlers before the deal is done and dusted,"said one source. "It's a very political situation."
Australian media planning specialist Bellamy Hayden, which works with PepsiCo in Australia and has an office in Bangkok, is understood to have taken the brand's food planning business.
The pitch was split into planning and buying components. Led by Brett Charlton, PepsiCo Thailand, food and beverage head of marketing, the review was part of efforts to focus on modernising the brand's global 'Power of One' strategy.
While GroupM continues to handle the bulk of PepsiCo's business in Asia, OMD works with the brand in Hong Kong and earlier this year won its Frito-Lay China business from MindShare.
GroupM and OMD both declined to comment, while PepsiCo could not be reached at press-time.