President Food picks Burnett for launches

TAIPEI: Taiwanese conglomerate Uni-President Enterprises has awarded an agency of record assignment to Leo Burnett after a three-way agency shoot-out.

Burnett beat Bates and the group's roster agency Ogilvy & Mather for the brief. Its initial task will be to launch two new products for President Foods, the island's largest food operation, according to Burnett Taiwan managing director Jennifer Jan.

The first new product is from the dairy division, and it will have one of the company's largest advertising spends.

Margaret Huang, Burnett Taiwan vice-president, said the company achieved NT$9 billion (US $260 million) in annual sales of dairy products and it intends to push that to $10 billion this year.

The second product is a beverage, which is the largest of President's different divisions, but can expect to face stiff competition as the category is one of the most competitive in Taiwan.

Based on previous product roll-outs, President has been known to spend between $20 million and $30 million during a launch period.

President Foods has a roster of about 10 ad agencies, including O&M, working on its various brands such as LeftBank Coffee. No media pitch was held as President usually allows its creative agencies to decide their own media arrangements.