Costa seeks agency for global loyalty programme
Costa, the coffee-shop chain owned by Whitbread, has put its global CRM account up for review in an attempt to become a more joined-up global brand.
The company has started contacting agencies through AAR.
It is believed that the appointed agency will be responsible for Costa’s global CRM programme spanning 30 markets across Europe, China, South East Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. It does not include the US.
Costa wants to build on the success of its Coffee Club loyalty programme by exporting it to other regions.
The brand will continue to work with The Real Adventure on CRM in the UK.
Bryony Stickells, Costa’s global digital director, said: “As we move from being a UK company with a presence in a number of overseas markets, we wanted to ensure [we have] the right agency partner to support the development of an international loyalty programme.”
Pitches for Costa’s creative account were held last week
CHI & Partners joined the previously reported Anomaly London, Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Grey London in pitching for Costa’s global ad account last week. AAR is handling the process. Incumbents 101 and Karmarama are not contesting the business.
The mystery beer brand that has enlisted The Observatory International to manage its ad review will be revealed later this month when successful agencies are invited to a chemistry meeting.
The consolidation of the £115m Sainsbury’s and Argos media account is set to drag on past Easter after the review was reopened in a shock move. M/SIX was awarded the business in February but PHD, incumbent on Sainsbury’s, protested over the way the process was run. The supermarket is now weighing up its decision, after asking both agencies to submit additional information by the end of March.
Fallon is not repitching for Cadbury’s UK account. Publicis Communications is expected to field an alternative candidate in the review.