Mars US hires TBWA Chiat Day as D'Arcy's roster replacement

The West Coast agency scooped the assignments for the Uncle Ben's, Whiskas and Seeds of Change brands, securing a place on the Mars roster for the first time.

The appointment of TBWA allows Mars to retain a three-agency roster after dropping D'Arcy last week. However, the appointment of TBWA/ Chiat/Day, rather than the network as a whole, leaves the UK accounts for the three brands vacant along with those of Maltesers, Revels, Bounce, Cesar, Chappie, Pal, Frolic and Catsan litter. TBWA handles Cadbury in Europe.

Mars said that appointments for other global regions would be made from within its new roster.

"I have worked in consumer goods my entire career and I am extremely impressed by the way that Mars goes to market,

Jean-Marie Dru, the president and chief executive of TBWA Worldwide, said. "This is a milestone opportunity for TBWA/Chiat/Day."

BBDO Worldwide has picked up the US Skittles business, leaving Grey, which could have expected the account to sit comfortably with its Starburst business, empty-handed so far.

"We welcome TBWA as the most recent addition to our roster of agencies and are looking forward to an exciting and productive future with it both domestically and in other regions,

Mars' vice-president of marketing, Ken Rogers, said. "We chose TBWA because of its depth of talent, demonstrated effectiveness as a creative and strategic network and its ability to launch and build highly successful consumer brands."

- Live Issue, p19.

This article was first published on Campaign