Bacardi Moves Global Rum Account to BETC London From WPP

Bacardi has appointed Havas-owned BETC London to handle the global creative advertising for its flagship Bacardi Rum brand, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. The rum brand has been with a WPP agency since 2005, but split with WPP-backed Johannes Leonardo, based in New York, in September 2012. Johannes Leonardo worked on the account, which it won from WPP-owned Y&R, for only a year. BETC confirmed the win, which is for global advertising creative only, and does not include media buying, internet or below-the-line activities, but was unable to give any further information. Bacardi did not respond to requests for comment. The appointment was made by Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, global brand director of Bacardi Rum at Bacardi Global Brands, who joined in October 2012. Based in London, Mr. Amoo-Gottfied is a former agency exec who has worked at Publicis in Ghana, as a strategic planner on Nike at Wieden & Kennedy, and at Leo Burnett in the U.S. and London. He is a nephew of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Another London agency, Brothers and Sisters, won the local U.K. business, worth $7.8 million, in July 2012 and is expected to retain the account. Separately, Bacardi USA is turning to three agency veterans to help reposition its flagship rum brand in the U.S. Jeff Weiss and Paul Opperman, who about a year ago formed a boutique shop called OW, will oversee brand strategic and creative duties along with Daley Strategic Advisors, which is run by Lee Daley, a former chief strategy officer at McCann Erickson Worldwide. Bacardi Global Brands is the name given to the marketing function of Bacardi Limited. Its portfolio includes more than 200 brands, including Bombay Sapphire gin and Grey Goose vodka. The spirits giant has been through a period of upheaval recently, with the departure in November 2012 of Bacardi CMO and president of Bacardi Global Brands, Silvia Lagnado. Ms. Lagnado was replaced this month by Andy Gibson, whose most recent role was at Carlton United Brewers, part of Foster's Group. He previously worked at Diageo for 13 years and officially takes his new role at Bacardi in April. Last year Bacardi Limited appointed a new CEO, Edward Shirley, who joined from Procter & Gamble. Bacardi is the top rum brand in the world, but sales volume grew only 1.5% in 2011, according to a report by Drinks International and Euromonitor International. Before Johannes Leonardo took on the brand, WPP's Young & Rubicam Major held the account for six years, creating the global "Bacardi Together" campaign.

Bacardi Moves Global Rum Account to BETC London From WPP

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