Carat nets Danone dairy planning job

Campaign 10-Jun-05, 15:33

Danone Group, the food and drinks manufacturer, has shifted the £20 million planning account for its UK dairy division from Mediaedge:cia to Carat.

The account comprises the St Ivel, Shape, Activa, Actimel and Danacol Yoghurt ranges of chilled products. Danone was previously the only Carat account that did not include the planning function.

Carat handles Danone's centralised UK buying account, while Brand Connection looks after planning for the HP range and Starcom plans Danone's waters business. The win raises the prospect of Carat picking up these other smaller pieces of planning business.

Danone's move comes ahead of a wider £300 million global media review, as first revealed in Campaign (21 April). The company is holding the pitch to improve its purchasing clout and reduce the size of its roster. The review has been called from Danone's French headquarters. Each territory will select an agency from a shortlist provided by Danone in France.

Danone plans to cut its global roster from eight to three agencies.

One of the incumbents, Starcom, has announced it is withdrawing from the review. In the UK, the pitch is expected to take place in 2007.