It’s been a sweet start to 2013 for Grip Ltd. The Toronto shop has been named Canadian agency of record for confectionery company Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada) following a competitive review.
The purview includes strategy, digital and social media, media planning and buying as well as creative development.
Grip’s managing partner Bob Shanks and president and partner Harvey Carroll led the pitch, while creative partners Jon Finkelstein and Thom Antonio will lead the business on a day-to-day basis.
“Grip earned our trust and ultimately our business throughout the pitch process because they understood our culture, our brand equity and our business needs,” said Lindt’s vice-president of marketing Ron Lencz, in a release. “We face a lot of competitive pressure in our industry, but we will never sacrifice on quality or the position we own as a premium brand.
“Grip demonstrated the best understanding of our position and offered us a senior team that will help us build a deeper connection with our consumers.”
Headquartered in Kilchberg, Switzerland, Lindt & Sprüngli was established in 1845 and has a presence in more than 100 countries. On Tuesday, the company reported consolidated annual sales of $2.82 billion, which it said outpaced growth for the overall chocolate market.
In its report, the company credited its leading position as a premium chocolate brand to its global positioning as “Lindt Master Chocolatiers,” which has been in place for almost 20 years. The company also credited continued investment in marketing and point-of-sale marketing activities, as well as “innovative” product launches for growth in both its seasonal and ongoing businesses.
Lindt said that business in North America showed “above-average” development, highlighted by double-digit organic growth.
“We’re delighted to be working with a brand that has such an amazing history and commitment to quality,” said Carroll. “We had good chemistry with the Lindt team right away.”
