BOSTON Gillette has awarded national creative chores on the launch of a new body-spray deodorant line to Havas-owned Arnold, sources said.
Arnold was tapped to produce “edgy” ads for the product, which would likely be called “Tag,” one source said.
The work is expected to launch in the first half of next year.
The assignment was made based on the Boston agency’s past work for the client and its history of crafting campaigns for young adult consumers (Volkswagen) and teenagers (American Legacy), sources said.
Arnold executives did not immediately return calls; a Gillette representative declined comment.
Spending for the effort has not been finalized, though one source said Gillette would probably spend “at least $50 million” to keep pace with rival Unilever’s Axe body spray, which is supported by ads from Publicis Groupe-backed Bartle Bogle Hegarty in New York. Axe spent $40 million on domestic ads last year and $20 million though August, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
Omnicom Group’s BBDO (creative) and WPP Group’s MindShare (media), both in New York, are the Boston-based client’s lead agencies.
Overall, Gillette spent nearly $350 million on ads last year, per Nielsen.
Arnold picked up Gillette’s Oral-B assignment in Europe in November 2002 and it also handles trade work for that brand in the U.S.
Gillette Chooses Arnold for Brand Rollout
