Wrigley Names BBDO Worldwide and DDB Worldwide as Global Creative Agencies Following Comprehensive Advertising Consolidation Review

CHICAGO, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. today announced it has selected DDB Worldwide as an additional global creative advertising agency, joining BBDO Worldwide, in now providing creative advertising agency support for the company's brands throughout the world.

This determination follows a comprehensive, four-month agency assessment that Wrigley undertook to determine its optimum agency resource structure. Wrigley is consolidating its agency roster from multiple agencies across the globe to two in order to effectively drive its growth in the highly competitive global confectionery industry. As Wrigley's long-standing advertising agency of record, BBDO was exempt from this review process.

"Our new structure will allow Wrigley to be more efficient, synergistic, nimble and faster to market globally with highly creative, integrated consumer campaigns," said Wrigley's Chief Marketing Officer Martin Schlatter. "We have selected two best-in-class partners in BBDO and DDB that will help us accelerate our marketing efforts worldwide with creative that advance our brands with consumers and helps us achieve our ambitious growth goals."

"I also want to thank all of our agency partners who have worked so professionally with us in our mutual brand-building efforts across Wrigley's portfolio. We appreciate their efforts and wish them all the very best in the future," added Schlatter.

As a result of this global realignment of brand responsibilities, Schlatter said that BBDO will now have responsibility for the Eclipse, Extra, Orbit and Winterfresh brands in most countries. BBDO will also pick up additional creative responsibilities in the U.S. for 5, a groundbreaking, new sugar-free stick gum being launched this summer and Altoids. The agency will also expand into three key Wrigley countries including China, where it will create advertising for Doublemint, the country's No. 1 gum brand.

DDB Worldwide, which previously handled Wrigley brand responsibilities only in Australia and New Zealand, will now have global creative responsibilities for Airwaves, Boomer, Hubba Bubba, Juicy Fruit, Solano and Sugus in most countries, as well as the LifeSavers franchise in the U.S.

"We are very excited about this next chapter in our partnership," said Andrew Robertson, President and CEO, BBDO Worldwide. "5 and Altoids are important new assignments in the USA that we are honored to have, and opening up the relationship in new markets around the world is something we have long dreamt of doing. It's a chance for BBDO Worldwide to show what it can do worldwide."

Chuck Brymer, President and CEO, DDB Worldwide said, "We are delighted and proud to have been chosen as a partner to Wrigley and its great stable of brands. We are looking forward to helping drive greater momentum and growth throughout the global marketplace. We are ready to go."

About Wrigley

The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate. The Company has global sales of nearly $4.7 billion and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries. Three of these brands -- Wrigley's Spearmint(R), Juicy Fruit(R), and Altoids(R) -- have heritages stretching back more than a century. Other well-loved brands include Doublemint(R), Life Savers(R), Big Red(R), Boomer(R), Pim Pom(R), Winterfresh(R), Extra(R), Freedent(R), Hubba Bubba(R), Orbit(R), Excel(R), Creme Savers(R), Eclipse(R), Airwaves(R), Solano(R), Sugus(R), P.K.(R), and Cool Air(R).