Equus wins Bertolli oil, Barilla pasta accounts

agencyfaqs! News Bureau

MUMBAI, December 27

Equus Advertising's Mumbai office has won the advertising accounts of premier olive oil brand, Bertolli, and pasta brand, Barilla, becoming the first independent agency to handle the communication business for the brands.

R.R. Oomerbhoy - which also has the Woods of Windsor range of cosmetics in its portfolio - has, for the first time, assigned the advertising for Bertolli to an agency, although the brand has been in the Indian market for close to two years now. In contrast, the Barilla range of pasta has just been introduced in the country.

According to Swapan Seth, deputy chief executive officer, Equus Advertising, the agency won the businesses just yesterday, following a presentation to the client. Swapan informed agencyfaqs! that the client had not called for a formal pitch, and that there were no other agencies competing with Equus.

"It was a creative pitch followed by strategic recommendations," says Swapan. "I think the quality of the creative work plus a differentiated strategy helped us win the account." The size of the account is pegged at Rs 3 crore over the year ending December 2001.

Although Swapan believes that the allocated spend is adequate in meeting the communication requirements of the two brands, he does admit that the job ahead is quite daunting. In terms of competition for the brands alone, Equus has its hands full. While Bertolli has to contend with a clutch of taste oils, Barilla has to find a toehold in a market where some 800 forms of meals already exist. Then there is the issue of breaking taste patterns.

"I think the primary challenge is to compete in the very difficult Indian ‘tastespace'. However, the challenge lies in maturing mouths in India and establishing olive oil as a cooking medium and pasta as a food form. Equus' previous experience on Sundrop should stand us in good stead," Swapan is hopeful.

© 2000 agencyfaqs!