Hiram Walker to Shift Focus To Regional Promotions By Betsy Spethmann and Beth Heitzma

WALKERVILLE, ONT. - Hiram Walker & Sons plans to step up consumer promotions for all brands, but will shift focus from nationa

The company is talking to a dozen ad and promo agencies about $24 million in sales promotion assignments, several sources said last week. At the same time, it’s cutting ad budgets for at least two major brands, Canadian Club whiskey and Beefeater Gin.
Hiram Walker may split the promotion assignment, covering 15 to 20 brands, between two or three shops. Among the brands under review are Kahlua, Courvoisier, Irish Mist and Midori, all handled by Flair Communications/Chicago, which also handles promotions for Beefeater and Canadian Club.
CME-KHBB/Minneapolis, won the Canadian Club ad account in April.
Hiram Walker’s in no hurry to conclude its four-month-old review of the ad assignment for Beefeater, currently parked at Eisaman, Johns & Laws/Chicago, although FCB/Leber Katz Partners, N.Y., is thought to be a leading contender.
Agencies vying for the promotion business have been cautioned that it won’t include any ad assignments.
‘They’re looking at promotions more strategically,’ an agency executive said. ‘But it doesn’t look like they’ll back all the way off advertising. Those are brands you don’t just pull advertising from; those brands are franchises.’
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