Unilever in DM plot to cross-sell brands

Campaign, Friday, 15 April 2005, 2:07pm,

Unilever is planning to launch a significant direct marketing initiative that will see the consumer goods giant cross-sell several of its food brands.

The company has briefed agencies on its direct roster, which includes Chemistry and Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, to pitch. The brief is for an ongoing customer relationship management project, not one-off direct work.

Brands that could form part of the programme include PG Tips, Hellmann's, Chicken Tonight, Knorr and Flora.

In principle, the initiative is similar to Golden Households, which Unilever's rival, Procter & Gamble, launched to cross-promote 16 products. Unilever's project is said to involve five or six brands.

Unilever is already involved in Jigsaw, a database marketing consortium also backed by Kimberly-Clark and Cadbury-Schweppes.

Unilever's head of direct communication, Jill Armitage, was unavailable for comment.

- Comment, page 48.

This article was first published on Campaign