Coca-Cola reviews £30m UK media business

It is understood that the media review is in its early stages, but that Coca-Cola’s head of media, Sarah Leach, has started to approach media agencies ahead of a formal process for the £30m business.

The account includes the UK planning and buying for all Coca-Cola brands including Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta and Oasis.

Vizeum picked up the integrated media planning and buying business for Coca-Cola and its range of soft drinks brands in November 2007. This added to the media buying to the planning business it already held.

Previously, Coca-Cola’s buying was handled by Interpublic agency Universal McCann, which was involved in the 2007 pitch alongside Starcom and Naked Communications.

Vizeum, and its predecessor agency BBJ, has worked with Coca-Cola for 12 years.

It is thought that the review was called because of best-practice guidelines. Jane Dormer, head of procurement at Coca-Cola, is involved in the process.

Earlier this week, Diet Coke launched a new ad starring the Diet Coke "hunk" to celebrate the brand’s 30th birthday.

After using its sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games in much of its marketing activity last year, recent work by Coca-Cola has included a CSR partnership with WPP and spots tackling the issue of obesity.

A spokeswoman for Coca-Cola said: "It's standard practice to review agency support every few years. Given this process is underway, we have no further comment at this stage."

Coca-Cola's creative and digital roster is not affected by the review.

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This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk