Remy poised to hand $10m Asia account to Bates

Industry sources say the French cognac maker will be allocating US$10 million to relaunch its VSOP and XO labels in the region, targeting China as the lead market. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand, where rival Johnnie Walker has invested consistently in building its profile, will be targeted behind China, add sources. "The company is making big committments to Asia," the source said. The R3-managed review, held in late November 2005, saw Bates battle against JWT and Nitro after incumbent Euro RSCG declined to pitch. Remy's global marketing team from Paris, headed by marketing chieftain Stephen Carroll, ran the review. At the end of 2005, owner Remy Cointreau attributed the 3.9 per cent organic growth for the first nine months of the financial year to strong momentum in Asia, particularly China, for its cognac business.