Beam Suntory has launched a creative review for its global Jim Beam account, formerly handled by a consortium collectively known as StoryWorks, comprised of Mekanism in the U.S., The Works in Australia and Jung von Matt in Germany. (Wait, people drink Jim Beam in Germany!?)
AdAge first broke the news, and a brand spokesperson sent us the same statement today: “I can confirm that we are in official review for Jim Beam’s global creative agency, which is being managed by our global marketing team out of our Deerfield, Ill., headquarters, however, we have no other news to share at the moment.”
Since the client’s PR declined to elaborate, we can’t confirm whether StoryWorks will be replaced by a single agency or which shops received the RFP.
Mekanism deferred to the client, but sources claim the agency will not be participating in the review. The brand launched its “Make History” campaign starring Mila Kunis back in 2014. According to Kantar Media, Beam Suntory spent approximately $27 million on measured media domestically for Jim Beam last year.
The launch of the review follows Beam Suntory naming Austin agency Preacher as creative agency of record for its Knob Creek and Basil Hayden’s whiskey brands last month, as well as the arrival of Coca-Cola veteran Rebecca Messina as Beam Suntory’s new global CMO this spring.