Initiative has retained the Pernod Ricard Australia and New Zealand media account in a hotly contested pitch to work across the entire brand portfolio including wine, spirit, whiskey, champagne, RTD and new brands.
The account, first taken by Initiative in 2019, was estimated to be worth upwards of $7 million when it was won in 2017by Publicis Groupe’s Blue 499, which later merged with Spark Foundry.
Pernod Ricard owns brands including Absolut Vodka, Malibu, Perrier Jouet, G.H. Mumm and Jacob’s Creek.
Jo McAlister, managing director, Initiative, said the team was excited to sign up for another three years and partner the company on its ambitious journey to lead ANZ’s competitive alcohol beverage markets across all its brand categories.
McAlister said: “This is phenomenal news and we are so proud to continue our partnership. For the past three years we have grown together as brands, collaborating via a truly open and transparent relationship and enjoying an agency/client bond that I’ve rarely seen in market.
“We love what we have achieved for Pernod to-date and are particularly proud of the Absolut Pride Relay/Show Your Colours campaign which was a stand-out as it broke so many diversity and inclusion barriers across rural Australia.”
“We can’t wait to continue to take Pernod’s brands to next level prominence and help deliver growth for Pernod to meet its ambitious business goals.
Eric Thomson, CMO at Pernod Ricard Winemakers said: “The chemistry between Initiative’s team and ours was evident from the start of our relationship three years ago and it has not waned. We are delighted to continue our partnership as we both push forward to produce effective and creative work that connects and engages our customers in an increasingly complex market.”
Initiative has helped propel Pernod Ricard Australia and New Zealand further into culture since appointment in 2019, with notable highlights including: tackling regional inequality through Absolut Pride Relay, supporting struggling musicians via Headline Acts, challenging gender bias through The Glenlivet Break The Rules campaign, injecting Jameson into Australian culture via the AFL, re-energising Chivas into a street culture icon and launching major brands like Malfy Gin and Altos Tequila into market.
The new contract starts July.
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