McCann Scores Aldi’s U.S. Chores

NEW YORK After a lengthy review, Aldi has selected McCann Erickson as its lead agency. The business had been with John & Low in Chicago.

Through November of last year, Aldi spent $16 million on U.S. advertising, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus, up from $3 million in 2007.

McCann’s Manchester, England, office already works for Aldi in the U.K.

The marketer, a unit of one of the world’s largest grocery conglomerates, the Aldi Group of Germany, is aggressively expanding. With about 1,000 U.S. stores, Aldi said it would open about 75 new ones this year, including its first location in New York City.

“McCann Erickson has a large agency footprint, but assembled a team that more closely resembles what you’d find at a smaller retail-focused agency,” Joan Kavanaugh, Aldi vp, corporate purchasing, said in a statement.

The win is a boost to McCann’s Midwest office, with its heavy reliance on General Motors and Saab. Garry Neel, CEO at McCann in Birmingham, Mich., praised Aldi’s “unique business model.”
 
“Aldi has a terrific story to tell,” he said in a statement. “We are looking forward to helping them tell it, both from a strategic branding point of view and tactically in ways that drive in-store sales … We’re excited about the opportunity to work with them to help achieve their aggressive growth plans.

The Batavia, Ill., discount grocer could not be reached for identification of other review participants or incumbent shop.