NEWS: Cohn and Wolfe dresses up HP’s PR

HP Foods has appointed Cohn and Wolfe to spice up consumer and trade

public relations for its key brands HP and Daddies Sauce.

The contract was won last week following a four way pitch which included

HP Foods’ former PR firm Biss Lancaster, whose contract finished at the

end of last year.

Cohn and Wolfe’s brief will cover the market leading classic spicy HP

Sauce and its barbecue, chilli and curry variants, Daddies Sauce and

Daddies Tomato Ketchup.

HP Foods marketing director Andrew Marsden said the consultancy will

exploit HP Sauce’s ‘cult’ status by targeting a youth audience.

The brief complements HP Food’s marketing drive, launched last year, to

re-position HP Sauce as an accompaniment for the teenage favourite -

chips.

Daddies Sauce and Tomato Ketchup will be aimed at an older family

audience.

According to Marsden the PR drive will be part of an integrated

campaign. Cohn and Wolfe will meet HP Foods’ advertising agency,

promotional consultant and media buyer every quarter to create a brand

strategy.

‘We have a very strategic view about PR, it’s not an add on,’ said

Marsden.

HP Foods, owned by the French food group Danone, will continue to use

the food PR specialist Culter Communications to handle its Lea & Perrins

ingredient sauces.

HP Sauce claims 43 per cent of the brown sauce market with Daddies

holding a 20 per cent stake.