Guinness has scaled down its four-year relationship with The Red
Consultancy and awarded its consumer and trade account to Lexis PR, with
fees expected to be in excess of pounds 250,000.
Lexis has been handed the bulk of Guinness’s PR work after a two-tier
pitching process (PR Week, 22 October). The second stage of the pitch
was a four-way affair, which included Red and Countrywide Porter
Novelli.
The account had been with Red on a project basis, but Lexis has been
appointed on a retainer. Red continues to work on interim projects,
including Guinness draught in a bottle and the ’Good things come to
those who wait’ advertising campaign.
Lindsey Sexton, PR and sponsorship manager, said: ’We identified a need
for a retained agency to get close to the brand. Sales are strong, but
we are continually driving for greater innovation and felt it beneficial
to retain an agency.’
Sponsorship will play an important part in the Lexis brief. Its first
main task will be to prepare for St Patrick’s Day next year. Other
recent Guinness sponsorships include the Rugby World Cup and the
Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The account will encompass Guinness Extra Cold, draft in a bottle, and
non-alcoholic lager brand Kaliber.
Lexis will report to Sexton who joined the company last month from Nexus
Choat to become its in-house PR manager. Work on the account starts in
January.
’The challenge is to produce PR campaigns that have the resonance and
savvy of the advertising,’ said Lexis chief executive Bill Jones.
