Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Pacific consolidates media with OMD

Following an extensive competitive media review, first reported by Campaign last September, Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Pacific (SBFAP) has awarded its media planning and buying duties to OMD across eight APAC markets worth an estimated US$65 million in business.

The multi-year remit will see OMD extend its 15-year relationship with the maker of Ribena and Boss brand coffees in Australia and New Zealand and expand it to six additional markets (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand). The outcome marks first time SBFAP has consolidated its APAC media duties with a single agency under a new centralised model. 

IPG Mediabrands' Initiative had come close in 2016 when it won SBFAP accounts across five markets (Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong) and WPP's Mindshare later took over several markets in Asia, while Havas Media held the account in Indonesia. As Campaign previously reported, most major media holding groups and incumbents participated in this latest pitch, which was run by Ebiquity. However Campaign understands that Havas Media did not join this time.

SBFAP's beverage portfolio further includes teas, flavoured waters, jelly and energy drinks under brands like Mountea, MyTea, Tea+, V Energy, Good Mood, Lucozade and Okky as well as its Brand's health supplement products like Chicken Essence that had been acquired from Cerebos in the region. 

“We are very proud to be expanding our solid partnership foundation in Australia and New Zealand to include SBFAP’s key Asia markets," said OMD's Asia-Pacific CEO, Charlotte Lee. "The combination of our proven strategic planning capabilities and our market-leading digital capabilities helped deliver the advanced solutions needed for such a growth-focused business like SBFAP. We are super excited to expand the relationship and deliver the next phase of growth for our partners across the region.”

Campaign has reached out to Ebiquity, which declined comment, and Suntory.