Cereal market leader Kellogg has appointed its UK PR agency Hill
and Knowlton to work right across Europe, the Middle East and
Africa.
The move is a massive boost for the agency, which has worked for Kellogg
in this country since the early 1970s.
The expansion of H&K’s brief for Kellogg, won after a pitch against
Burson-Marsteller, represents a reversal of strategy for the company.
Previously it has been keen to maintain a de-centralised agency
structure, with various local agencies working on single
country-orientated work.
Hill and Knowlton is recruiting for more senior staff to work on the
account, which will involve 27 H&K offices. They will report to the
agency’s chairman of European marketing communications practice MaryLee
Sachs who led the H&K pitch team with Wendy Mair, divisional managing
director of food and lifestyle.
The agency is reporting to Kellogg’s Paris-based European manager of
nutritional affairs Anne-Laure Gassin, reflecting the company’s
increasing focus on the nutritional benefits of Kellogg’s products in
its communications.
’The purpose of appointing the H&K network is to lever the power of
public relations in building the Kellogg brand equity across Europe,’
said Gassin.
’We are confident that by consolidating our communications approach with
H&K’s network, we will gain from the strength and benefits of a regional
approach.’
Hill and Knowlton has been increasing its grip on Kellogg’s
international public relations over the past few years, picking up
accounts in France, Italy, China and Australia.
Porter Novelli is Kellogg’s main PR agency in the US, its home country,
where it also works with H&K.
Bringing PR across Europe under one agency network follows a pattern
already set on the advertising side, where two agencies - Leo Burnett
and J Walter Thompson - are responsible for creating Kellogg’s
advertising worldwide.
