Molson Coors has announced that Leo Burnett Canada will be taking over account leadership of Coors Light after former agency BBDO Canada was dropped earlier this month after its network took on a conflicting client.
Leo Burnett was installed without an open review process. “We had discussions with a very short list of agencies whom we believe to be among the best in Canada,” Peter Nowlan, Molson Coors Canada CCO, said in a statement. “Leo Burnett will bring a wealth of experience to the table as they take over the reins to move our business forward through creative excellence.”
“When we met with the Molson Coors team, we felt a strong sense of alignment right away,” Judy John, Leo Burnett’s CEO and chief creative officer, also said in the release.
Leo Burnett will not be taking over Keystone, another Molson Coors brand that had gone to BBDO with Coors Light in March. A Molson Coors representative said Keystone will be handled by others on its agency roster on a project-by-project basis.
Leo Burnett had been working with James Ready, a discount Canadian beer brand affiliated with Moosehead, for the past five years. It earned several industry awards for its campaigns during that time, but parted ways with the client in late 2012.
Coors Light has switched agencies twice this year. BBDO Canada took over the brand from DraftFCB in March, but lost it early in July when the American arm of the agency won a contract with Bud Light, owned by Molson Coors competitor AB-InBev.
According to Molson Coors’ internal sales figures, Coors Light is its best selling domestic beer in Canada. Including imports, the brand is beat out only by Budweiser, which has 13.2% market share by volume versus Coors Light’s 11.8%.
Rethink will stay on as agency of record of Molson Coors’ other leading brand, Molson Canadian, as well as Molson Export and Rickard’s.
