The review for McCormick-owned French’s brand has been completed, and incumbent Fitzco has retained the creative business, and added Cholula hot sauce. Finalists apparently included VMLY&R and Fitzco, with Fitzco staying with the business.
Fitzco has handled brand strategy and creative for the French’s mustard brand since 2018, though Grey New York was named AOR for the rest of the McCormick & Co. business that year.
Fitzco, which founder and chairman David Fitzgerald bought back from IPG in 2020, has done some inventive work to keep the business, including making a French’s mustard ice cream in 2019, and more recently partnering with Oskar Blues Brewery on a French’s mustard beer.
“We’ve been able to do truly transformational work for French’s over the last few years,” said Ryan Boblett, Fitzco’s head of creative. “Building on that creative momentum and extending it to Cholula is an opportunity we don’t take for granted.”
The relationship may extend to other McCormick brands, but no official announcements have yet been made.