Carat SA has acquired the much coveted Kraft Foods South Africa account. Carat emerged successful in late December 2010, following an intensive pitch process involving three other leading media agencies.
Kraft Foods South Africa is part of leading international branded food and beverage company Kraft Foods Inc., which took over the global business of Cadbury in early 2010. Top brands in the Kraft stable include Cadbury Dairy Milk, Stimoral, Royal Baking Powder, Jacobs, Lunchbar, Halls, Dentyne, Toblerone and Oreo.
Kraft Foods South Africa accounts for annual media billings of approximately R140 million. In the past 18 month period Carat has secured annual media billings in excess of R2 billion.
Carat SA MD Quinton Jones described the win as an honour and attributed the achievement to the depth of the agency’s strategic insights, as well as the chemistry between the parties.
“We are extremely proud to have won the Kraft Foods business, which clearly demonstrates that Carat is now a serious contender for big business and best of the best brands.’
Jones noted that, while all buying will be centralised through the Cape Town office, the strategic side of the business will be split between Carat Cape Town and Carat Johannesburg. The Johannesburg office, headed up by Erica Gunning, has achieved phenomenal growth since it was opened in August 2009, with 20 staff members and billings of R700 million.
