Mars, Incorporated to Refine Global Creative Structure for Biggest Brands

Realignment of Agency Partners to Support Focus and Expertise by Brand

McLean, VA (September 22, 2009) – Today Mars, Incorporated announced a plan to reorganize the assignments of its current four agency partners to further enhance the Company global brand strategy. The shift will ensure that, across major markets, Mars’ core global brands will be aligned under a single creative agency. This is expected to advance global strategy development and increase efficiency in application of strategy and creative across markets. Under the plan, Mars will refine distribution of brand assignments between existing partners, BBDO, DDB, SapientNitro and TBWA between now and the end of 2011.

“We get outstanding support from our current agency partners, and there is existing cooperation between the agencies in the building of our Mars brands. However, fragmented agency support of our biggest brands across major markets limits efficiencies and opportunities to build global strategies that can be easily applied worldwide,” said Bruce McColl, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Mars. “By aligning each core brand under a dedicated global agency, we will more effectively build global communication platforms that yield best-in-class strategy and creative work to build our iconic brands.”

The agency assignment shifts between Mars current roster of agencies will begin in 2010. BBDO will assume global accountability for the MARS® and SNICKERS® brands while maintaining their current responsibilities for M&Ms®, CESAR® and SHEBA®. 

Similarly, TBWA will retain its current role on PEDIGREE® while assuming global responsibilities for WHISKAS®. As the final piece of the 2010 realignment, global creative work for DOVE® will shift to SapientNitro.

Wrigley gum and confections brands are already aligned on a global basis across BBDO, DDB and TBWA.   

 “We have tremendous resources supporting our business across all four roster agencies, and we are confident that this expertise will be better leveraged by concentrating agency efforts behind our big global brands,” added McColl. “We are committed to the best-in-class agencies that have helped us grow our business and will continue to work closely with them to build mutually rewarding partnerships.”

Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned company founded in 1911 and employing over 65,000 associates at more than 230 sites, including 135 factories, in 68 countries worldwide. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, U.S.A., Mars, Incorporated is one of the world’s largest food companies, generating global revenues of more than $30 billion annually and operating in six business segments: Chocolate, Petcare, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. These segments produce some of the world’s leading brands: Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Petcare – PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA®, CESAR®, and ROYAL CANIN®; Wrigley – ORBIT®, EXTRA®, STARBURST®, DOUBLEMINT® and SKITTLES®; Food – UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – WISDOM PANELTM MX, SERAMIS®, and COCOAPROTM.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

Please direct media inquiries to the Mars media line at 973-691-3536.