Cadbury Reviews $115 Mil. in N.A. Media Biz

NEW YORK Cadbury Adams USA has kicked off a review of its media chores in the U.S. and Canada, the client has confirmed. The gum and candy maker spends $115 million annually in North American measured media.

WPP Group’s Mediaedge:cia is the incumbent on the U.S. account, and M2 Universal holds the Canadian business. Both agencies are expected to defend.

Invitations to pitch the business were issued earlier this week, but the client would not disclose who was invited. “Cadbury is conducting a closed search for a media planning and buying agency for the North America business unit,” a client representative wrote in an e-mail. “The agency [or agencies] will be responsible for media planning and buying in the U.S. and Canada for brands including Trident, Dentyne, Stride, Bubblicious, Sour Patch, Maynards, Caramilk, Green & Black’s and Swedish Fish.”

The scope of work includes all media planning and buying, including digital, which both incumbents also currently handle, per sources.