Optimedia takes on Allied Bakeries job after beating Zenith

Optimedia has scooped the pounds 4 million Allied Bakeries media

planning and buying business following a secret pitch against the

incumbent, Zenith Media.

Optimedia heard last week it had won the media task for all of Allied

Bakeries’ brands, including Kingsmill, Allinson, Hi-bran, Ryvita,

Sunblest, Vitbe and a new product, Burgen, which claims to help relieve

symptoms of the menopause.

The media specialist will hold the business - with increased budgets -

from the new year.

Sales volumes have been falling and competition from imports has dented

Allied’s business base. A restructure of the bread business was

undertaken in May with the aim of concentrating on branded and own-label

products.

Budgets for 1998 are expected to top pounds 5 million, with more money

being ploughed into the premium Kingsmill Gold brand, which is now

head-to-head in the market against the white Hovis brand launched last

year.

The media rethink comes six months after Allied hired a new marketing

director, Frances Brindle, who joined from Anchor Foods.

The change in media specialist also comes just a year after Optimedia’s

sister creative agency, Publicis, snatched the creative account from

CDP.

This article was first published on Campaign