After a while in limbo, Saatchi & Saatchi, the Publicis Groupe owned global communications and advertising agency network, has finally filled its chief marketing officer role. The agency has been without a CMO since Ben Bittman left in 2010, but after 4 years, a replacement has finally been found in the shape of Christine Prins, who joins Saatchi from Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners in New York where she had been serving as chief growth officer. At Saatchi, she'll be joining CEO Brent Smart, chief creative officer Jay Benjamin and chief strategy officer Wanda Pogue at the head of relatively fresh table; Pogue and Benjamin both joined earlier this year and Smart joined in November last year.
The agency has been without a CMO since Ben Bittman left in 2010, but after 4 years, a replacement has finally been found in the shape of Christine Prins
In the period since Bittman left, Smart and his predecessor Durk Barnhill have been steering business development for the agency, which recently resulted in the addition of the Vita Coco coconut water brand account. The agency also serves blue chip clients such as Procter & Gamble, General Mills and Walmart. Prins, who spent two years working in business development at Publicis before joining KBS+ will begin her appointment immediately.
Prins will be joining CEO Brent Smart, chief creative officer Jay Benjamin and chief strategy officer Wanda Pogue at Saatchi
Another big win for Saatchi & Saatchi recently has been Heineken's 'Tectate' beer account, which will go some way towards healing the wounds left by Miller Lite, who left the agency back in April to join WPP for a short spell, before settling with Omnicom's TBWA Worldwide. The assignment, which sees Saatchi claim the account from Inspire, Dallas, who have looked after the brand since March 2013. It follows an extensive three-month review, which saw Saatchi take the client because Heineken believes they are the right fit to help "Accelerate the brand's growth and solidify its place as the fastest-growing premium light beer in the US Sunbelt markets."
The Tectate win follows an extensive three-month review, which saw Saatchi take the client because Heineken believes they are the right fit to help "Accelerate the brand's growth
According to Max Skowron, senior marketing director for Tectate, the beer is gaining significant momentum, with franchise sales up 3% year-to-year. He believes they have achieved this by “Engaging bicultural consumers across the country, given its superior flavour, strong brand personality and values.” The success could also be attributed, of course, to the $11.8 million Heineken spent in measured media on the brand last year, but that spend seems like almost nothing compared to how much MillerCoors spent on Miller Lite ($160 million). Smart said Saatchi is “Excited to be working with one of the fastest growing brands in beer,” and feels that “The Tectate team has big ambitions and an appetite for great work."
Official Saatchi & Saatchi Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who has always felt that Mexican beer tastes like beer flavoured water.
