Unilever Bestfoods is talking to agencies about handling a relaunch of its Colman’s mustard and sauce brand, according to trade magazine Marketing.

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It is understood that Unilever will assign a multimillion-pound ad budget to the brand, which has not been advertised since JWT developed a campaign using an animated pig in 1998, the magazine said. It moved the account for Colman’s cooking sauces and mustards to DDB London in 2002, but the agency has never produced advertising for the brand. 


Unilever has asked four undisclosed agencies to pitch for the relaunch business, including non-roster shops, it said. Colman’s dominates the mustard paste and powder sector, with a share of 48.3% in 2003, the magazine said, quoting Euromonitor figures. However, in the cooking sauces sector Colman’s is aiming to regain ground on market leader Dolmio; the Masterfoods brand experienced an 18.5% rise in sales value in the 12 months to June 2003, according to Information Resources. Colman’s grew 1.7% over the same period.


In September, Colman’s linked with United Biscuits to launch a range of McCoy’s Honey Roast Ham and Mustard crisps. 

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