The agency previously handled media planning for UNZA brands serviced by local creative shop Novocom, while MediaVest worked on brands serviced by the recently-closed D'Arcy operation. "We wanted to bring international media planning skills to the account and gain cost efficiencies through one agency," said UNZA marketing director Francis Ng.
The consolidation with Carat followed the addition of DDBi to UNZA's roster. DDBi has taken over creative assignments on D'Arcy-held brands.
Client conflict issues - arising chiefly from the Procter & Gamble and L'Oreal accounts - would have prevented UNZA from moving the business to D'Arcy's sister agencies in the Publicis Groupe. Set up in 1979, UNZA competes in the personal and household care business, excluding the shampoo and liquid soap categories, and at a lower price point compared with its multinational rivals. Ng said UNZA needed to maximise cost efficiencies as multinational rivals were starting to increase spend in the market.
"The company to watch in the personal care category is Unilever. We're seeing a resurgence of activity from them," said Ng.