Andrex in pounds 14m ad fight with Charmin

commercial.

K-C European marketing director, Ben Anderson, said the company would

support Andrex, famous for its long-running puppy ad, with a pounds 14m

ad budget in a move to fend off P&G’s US brand, Charmin Ultra, which hit

the UK this week with a pounds 25m total marketing spend. K-C spent

pounds 7.45m backing Andrex from January to December 1999 (MMS).

’We have been increasing spend year-on-year, but this time it’s about

the P&G release. We welcome them, because it will increase interest in

the sector, but we’re also going to defend our position vigorously,’

said Anderson.

A new Andrex TV execution, ’Roll-up’, breaks this week, emphasising its

traditional product qualities of softness, strength and length, which it

is relying on to beat off the invader. Creative is through J Walter

Thompson.

K-C is not alone in gearing up its operations to coincide with Charmin’s

release. SCA Hygiene is pushing pounds 250,000 into advertising its

Velvet brand on 174,000 supermarket trolley posters across the UK. A

four-week campaign, created by Roose & Partners, will hit trolleys in

Safeway, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield and Kwik Save stores from

February 7.

Analysis, page 15.