Nestle stuns Lowe with £22m JWT consolidation

Nestle has consolidated its £22m advertising account at JWT, shifting nearly £6m of business out of Lowe London.

JWT picks up the ad duties for Aero, Double Cream, Milky Bar, Quality Street and Italian premium chocolate line Baci. Nestle is about to launch a multimillion-pound pan-European television campaign for Baci, using ads created by Lowe.

Nestle marketing chief Chris White is behind the shift to JWT, which is thought to be working on a new campaign for Milky Bar.

The confectionery giant is believed to be cutting back its spend, and many of its ranges are unlikely to receive significant ad support in the coming year. Nestle declined to comment on JWT's appointment.

In October 2004 Lowe lost its flagship HSBC business, again to JWT. Last month the agency replaced Matthew Bull as chief executive with former Grey London boss Garry Lace.

Lowe has handled Nestle since the agency merged with Ammirati Puris Lintas in 2000.