Coca-Cola’s Central and Southern Europe (CSE) business unit, comprised of 23 different countries, has appointed McCann as its creative agency partner. Coca-Cola reportedly made the move to McCann to better streamline their CSE unit and tie the network together under the same, cohesive functioning group of ideas, with a speedy transition in localizing international campaigns.
Only McCann and Publicis were invited to pitch for the region, both having longstanding relationships with Coca-Cola. While McCann won control over the CSE region, Publicis will continue to do work for the brand in the company in the region as part of its “central production of creative” roster.
Roel Annega, marketing director of Coca-Cola CSE, says in a statement, “It was a close contest, but overall we felt McCann’s proposal was the most compelling. We’re looking forward to working with them to implement marketing of the highest quality that will drive the growth of our business in CSE in the years ahead.”