Saatchis snatches regional Guinness biz

The global Guinness creative account has been consolidated with two agencies - Saatchi & Saatchi and Abbott Mead/Vickers BBDO. Under the new arrangement, Saatchis, which has been handling Guinness across Africa and the Caribbean, has been named the agency for all Guinness Foreign Extra Stout or bottled markets. This includes additional markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Indonesia, which account for 36 per cent of Guinness volume. AMV BBDO will handle Ireland, Europe and the US, in addition to the market it currently looks after, the UK. The appointment of Saatchis sidelines Ogilvy & Mather in Asia-Pacific, Guinness' agency in the region for more than 10 years. O&M regional management supervisor David Mayo said: "We're sorry to see them go - but we're here if they need us." Guinness, which previously used six agencies around the world, had sought to appoint a single global agency. However, it found the task of deciding between Saatchis and AMV BBDO too difficult. Guinness global brand director Jon Potter said, "Having reviewed both agencies against our key criteria, we feel that the Guinness brand is best served by utilising the strengths that both these agencies have to offer." He added: "This decision was based on our sole motivation and focus, which is to seek brilliant advertising and outstanding creativity that will drive competitor advantage rather than global uniformity or neatness." In the year to June 2000, Guinness spent USdollars 339 million on advertising and promotion.

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