SYDNEY: Sanitarium has split from its media agency Initiative and will transfer its $13 million account to Mitchell & Partners without a pitch.
AdNews understands Initiative chief executive Roger Camplisson put in an eleventh hour bid on Tuesday [4 May] to save the flagging relationship but was informed of the decision on Friday.
Camplisson refused to comment on the reasons for the split. A statement from Initiative said staff currently working on Sanitarium will be redeployed to other assignments at the agency.
Last year, the FMCG company moved its planning out of BellamyHayden over to Initiative after splitting the account two years previously.
The 112-year-old company owns the Weetbix, So Good and Up & Go brands and last week [29 April] launched its first master brand campaign in more than 20 years. Created by Human, the $3 million campaign is designed to cement the company's image as an authentic and trusted brand.
Sanitarium's total ad spend to February this year was $13.1 million, up from $8.7 million in the previous year, according to Nielsen.
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