Sam Adams’ Boston Beer Co. Sends $50 Million Media Account to Hearts & Science

Boston Beer Co., whose properties include iconic craft beer brand Samuel Adams, as well as Angry Orchard and Twisted Tea, has a new media agency.

Omnicom’s Hearts & Science is now handling media buying and planning for Boston Beer Co., multiple sources told Adweek.

An agency spokesperson deferred to the client. Representatives for Boston Beer Co. have not responded to multiple requests for comment.

According to a source close to the matter, the selection of Hearts & Science—which became official several weeks or even months ago—followed a review launched last fall. It is unclear at this time which agencies pitched, though Publicis Groupe’s Zenith was incumbent on the account.

The source added that the evaluation of the company’s media buying and planning services came as part of a marketing shift that began with the arrival of CMO Jonathan N. Potter in June of 2016 and accompanies an ongoing reorganization of Boston Beer Co.’s marketing team. In February, the company announced that Dave Burwick will succeed Martin Roper as president and CEO this year.

Kantar Media’s latest numbers have Boston Beer. Co. spending nearly $52 million on measured media domestically last year, up from $32.5 million in 2016, and just over $16 million in the first quarter of 2018, compared to nearly $12 million over the same period last year.

Boston agency MMB has served as creative agency of record for Boston Beer Co.’s Samuel Adams brand since last year, when it launched a campaign promoting Samuel Adams Summer Ale.