Sara Lee aligns with OMD in Asia-Pacific

The food and beverage giant consolidated its EMEA and Asia-Pacific duties, believed to be worth around US$190 million, with OMD following a pitch that also involved MediaCom in the final round.

The Asia portion of the business includes three new markets for OMD — Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. A spokesperson from OMD confirmed that the agency would be responsible for all planning and buying duties, including digital media.

In a statement, Harm-Jan van Pelt, Sara Lee SVP and member of the company’s coffee and tea board, said the creation of a standalone company focused on coffee and tea meant that Sara Lee’s international business would undergo a significant change.

“We will invest in our coffee and tea brands with modern, relevant and creative media campaigns,” van Pelt said.

The company’s international coffee and tea brands include Douwe Egberts, Maison du Café, Marcilla, Moccona, Pickwick and Senseo.