FCB/Leber Katz gets more bites of Nabisco By Michael McCarth

New York--FCB/Leber Katz Partners, N.Y., which handles the largest chunk of food brands for R JR Nabisco, has gotten its foot in the door on two other N

While McCann-Erickson/N.Y. is agency of record for Nabisco’s Mr. Phipps pretzels and chips, Nabisco executives said that FCB/LKP created a new campaign for the Mr. Phipps brand which broke two weeks ago.
At press time, FCB/LKP executives couldn’t be reached for comment on the new work. A Nabisco spokesperson said FCB/LKP “did the creative” for the two new spots in the role of “creative” consultants.
“These are the only spots that they have done for Mr. Phipps,” the spokesperson said, adding that McCann remains the AOR on the brand. McCann also did the original advertising for the Mr. Phipps brand, which was introduced in 1991 to strong sales response and several consumer product awards. Despite FCB/LKP’s work, Nabisco said it is not planning any agency changes on the account.
Sources said it’s not the first time Nabisco has gone outside of normal channels to find new creative. The “Mex to the Max” campaign, which began airing in September 1992 for Ortega taco sauces, was also generated by FCB/LKP although Lowe & Partners/N.Y. is the AOR for the brand.
Nabisco spent $5.1 million in 1992 on the Mr. Phipps brand, according to LNA/Arbitron, and $8.6 million on Ortega taco shells and sauces.
“If Nabisco wants new creative blood on a project, they are more willing now to open up the account to another agency,” said one source close to the big client. “I think you’ll see more situations like this in the future.”
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)