M&C Saatchi Abel wins suite of iconic PepsiCo brands as account lead

Leading advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel has been appointed head agency across a portfolio of PepsiCo brands, including Lay's, Liqui Fruit and Weet-Bix. 

The team behind the pitch looks forward to providing creative solutions that further entrench loyalty for the iconic household and international brands many South Africans have grown up with and love. 

“Winning this mix of brands comes with a legacy and heritage that needs to be upheld as M&C Saatchi Abel begins their journey with the PepsiCo family. At the same time, this also comes with the challenge of ensuring the brands remain future-fit and continue to grow,” says Jacques Burger, founding partner and executive at M&C Saatchi Group SA. 

The diverse product categories provide a unique challenge for the strategic and creative teams who are set to manage the many facets of the account. While some brands require further home-grown strengthening in a bid for continued loyalty, other brands offer the opportunity to leverage global appeal.

“Working with a brand like Lay's presents an exciting space to marry global assets with the SA audience, establishing local and regional relevance,” says Burger. 

PepsiCo products are enjoyed across the globe more than 1-billion times a day in about 200 countries and territories. These numbers, and the consumer’s continued loyalty, reinforces PepsiCo’s vision of being the global leader in beverages and convenient foods. 

Martin Neethling, chief marketing officer at PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa, says the acquisition of Pioneer Foods by PepsiCo in 2020 provided for the integration of a range of different and powerful brands into one portfolio. 

“This provides the unique opportunity to examine the agency partner ecosystem. PepsiCo wants to be sure the agencies they work with are the best partners in these challenging and innovative times,” says Neethling. 

“The appointment of new agency partners will bring together creative talent to help create meaningful connections between the brands, consumers and their communities”

M&C Saatchi Abel is no stranger to the retail and fast-moving consumer goods sector and welcomes the opportunity to deliver simple solutions, underpinned by a sense of accountability, within the advertising discipline.

“At the end of the day you will know if the work is delivering on the client’s needs by the sound the till makes when customers pick your brand,” says Burger.

“The till either rings or it doesn’t, and the agency is confident the team’s work will result in increased ringing for years to come.” 

This article was paid for by M&C Saatchi Abel.