FCB “gets cooking” with GE Appliances
Louisville, KY-based GE Appliances has chosen FCB Chicago as its creative AOR to handle advertising, digital, social and shopper marketing.
The agency beat out incumbent BBDO, Ogilvy & Mather, McCann and MullenLowe in a competitive review that began last November, just 18 months after Chinese manufacturer Haier bought the appliance division from GE. GE Appliances brands include Monogram, GE CaféTM, GE, GE ProfileTM, Haier and Hotpoint.
The appliance giant surprised The Interpublic Group agency with their decision by asking the agency to report to its Monogram Design Center, where a banner that read “Let’s Get Cooking” greeted them. The FCB team and staff from GE Appliances then celebrated with a complimentary breakfast and mimosas.
“We have an exciting year ahead, and finding the right creative agency to drive our brands to become more distinct, iconic and disruptive in the marketplace was critical,” Mary Putnam, GE Appliances VP of marketing and brand, said in a statement.
Putnam continued, “We talked to some of the most talented and forward-thinking agencies in the world and ultimately found that FCB had the right team for us at this time. FCB has the range of creativity, capabilities and disruptive thinking necessary to connect with our owners in new, bold ways to help us drive results for our business.”
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Monogram, the maker of kitchen appliances, is one of the company’s brands that FCB is tasked with strengthening under the new partnership. Others include GE Cafe, GE Profile, Haier and Hotpoint. Specifically, FCB will be responsible for driving individual identities for all those brands.
BBDO remains agency of record for GE. GE sold GE Appliances, its former Kentucky-based manufacturing subsidiary, to Chinese consumer electronics and appliances company Haier for $5.6 billion in June 2016.
Sun-Maid Growers pick quench Chicago
Sun-Maid Growers of California has named the Harrisburg, PA and Chicago offices of quench, to lead digital, strategic and creative duties for the Sun-Maid brand after a competitive agency review.
According to a statement, quench was selected because of their extensive knowledge in the food and beverage industry and their success in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) space.
Sun-Maid, located in the heart of California’s fertile central valley, is the world’s largest processor of raisins and dried fruit with a 100+ year history and legacy brand sold in more than fifty countries around the world. The company is a grower-owned cooperative made up of family farms located primarily within a 60-mile radius of the Kingsburg processing plant.
Sun-Maid sells a variety of raisins and specialty dried fruits such as yogurt covered raisins in chocolate and vanilla flavors, apricots, dates, prunes and figs as well as the newly launched sour flavored golden raisins in sour strawberry, lemon and watermelon flavors. quench will be tasked with assisting in developing the Sun-Maid brand strategy, architecture and innovation insights. Their full-service capabilities include packaging design and consumer insights.
“quench impressed us with their unique understanding of Sun-Maid as a CPG company which will be our focus as we push our innovation platform,” Sun-Maid SVP of Retail Sales and Marketing, Rich Paumen said in a statement. “We look forward to working with their team of creative strategists as we build out our brand promise for a new generation of snacking enthusiasts.”
“There likely isn’t a household in America that doesn’t have at least one Sun-Maid product in the cupboard,” said Ami Lawson, group brand manager of quench. “We want to show America what Sun-Maid is. They’re a snack, they’re an ingredient, they’re healthy and they’re nostalgic. They’re extending beyond raisins. We plan to bring all of that to life in 2018.”
fairlife expands Doner Detroit’s assignments
fairlife, LLC, a Chicago-based health food company, has expanded its AOR relationship with creative agency Doner Detroit to fuel the company’s growing momentum. In a statement the company added strategy and creative responsibilities for fairlife YUP! and Core Power protein shakes without a review.
Doner will oversee 360-degree marketing and advertising for an expanded portfolio of current products and future innovations.
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fairlife is the only dairy company that filters its milk to remove lactose and sugars while concentrating the protein and vitamins naturally found in cow’s milk. They are dedicated to elevating the entire milk category by producing high quality dairy products and uniquely positioning fairlife as a one-of-a-kind milk company.
The first work from Doner, “Good Morning,” showcased the brand’s signature product, fairlife Ultra-Filtered Milk, in consumers’ favorite, most commonly used milk-food pairings, while promoting the unique benefits of fairlife ultra-filtered milk – 50% more protein and 50% less sugar than regular milk.
“Doner has become a trusted go-to agency partner for marketing communications due to their ability to capture our core promise and difference,” said Anders Porter, Vice President of Communications at fairlife, LLC. “They were the clear choice to help introduce some of our newer product innovations to the market.”
“This is an incredible opportunity to help further build fairlife’s reputation for reimagining the dairy category,” said David DeMuth, President & CEO, Doner. “We look forward to a deeper partnership that advances fairlife’s focus on quality, taste, freshness and superior nutrition as they continue to grow nationally and to innovate across a range of incredible real milk products.”
fairlife is sold in stores nationwide and is the fastest growing brand in the milk category, outpacing all organic, plant-based and lactose-free brands combined. The company also produces fairlife® YUP!, a line of flavored milks and Core Power, a high protein sports nutrition drink for post-workout recovery.
Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
