After launching an Omnicom-only creative agency review, Pepsi confirmed that it has tapped Goodby Silverstein & Partners. The brand declined to comment on the scope of the assignment. But people familiar with the pitch said it was for lead U.S. agency status.
“We are pleased to add Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to our diverse roster of creative agencies across our beverage business in the U.S.,” Greg Lyons, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo North America Beverages, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Goodby and continuing our longstanding partnership with Omnicom through the addition of another one of its agencies.”
PepsiCo spokeswoman Gina Anderson declined to answer further questions, including about scope. When it launched the brand Pepsi review, the marketer stated that it was looking for “custom creative solutions” within Omnicom.
Brand Pepsi spent $192 million on measured media in the U.S. in 2016, according to a credible Datacenter.
PepsiCo has a long relationship with Omnicom, but in recent years has moved assignments for brand Pepsi around, including handing some work to non-Omnicom shops.
Historically, Omnicom’s BBDO has been most closely identified with Pepsi work, including classic campaigns such as “Pepsi Generation.” BBDO also created Pepsi’s latest round of NFL-themed ads that just hit the air. Goodby has previously worked on brands within PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, including Tostitos and Doritos. BBDO has the Lay’s account after winning a review earlier this summer.
The Pepsi review came after the brand’s embarrassing Kendall Jenner ad flop, which some critics blamed on the brand’s reliance on its in-house agency. However, that ad was overseen by PepsiCo’s global team. The Omnicom agency review was confined to the U.S. market and was overseen by U.S. executives.
Culled from Ad Age