InBev hires TBWA to handle beer brands

The agency will develop through-the-line advertising and activation projects for Red Rock, KK and Double Deer, sharing InBev’s China portfolio with JWT, which will continue to service the Sedrin beer brand, and DDB, which handles the national Budweiser brand.

The alliance with TBWA follows last year’s $52 billion acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by InBev, and the appointment of Rex Wong, who was formerly in charge of marketing at A-B China, as the company’s marketing director in the mainland.

Wong said that, while JWT had previously worked with these brands, the decision to align with TBWA had been prompted by an “increase in strength” in the Sedrin brand that would require greater focus from JWT. Wong explained that InBev’s portfolio in China consisted of many brands competing in different price segments. He said the company’s strategy would be “very brand-driven”.

Separately, TBWA has won Nissan Motors’ advertising account in India, with OMD taking media. The appointment covers the entire range of Nissan passenger vehicles.