Unilever regroups Bestfoods' media

"Unilever is using its strength in Asia-Pacific to extend the Bestfoods franchise in the region,

the consumer goods company said in a statement.

It said it wanted to generate cost-savings by gaining marketing synergies through the realignment.

Unilever Bestfoods Singapore managing director, Bernadette Wake, said the aim of the alignment was "to achieve superior performance".

The UK food conglomerate is moving the Bestfoods account to the media agencies that currently handle Unilever's communication channel planning, and the process involves going beyond mainstream media to consider all the communication channels - the internet, event marketing, public relations etc.

MindShare won the business in Singapore, China and India, while Initiative took the assignment in Indonesia and Thailand. The consolidation helps Bestfoods because its brands will now have a comprehensive communication plan rather than just a media plan, according to sources.

"On its own Bestfoods wouldn't have been a very big account,

an agency source said, adding that the account consolidation means Bestfoods gains media buying clout and can "ride on the same (favourable media) contracts

the agencies had negotiated for Unilever.

The loser in the realignment is OMD, which has lost Knorr, one of Bestfoods' biggest international brands.