Saatchi loses top accounts

By IRENE CHAPPLE

Saatchi & Saatchi has lost Lion Nathan's high profile Lion Red and Steinlager advertising accounts to Meares Taine.

The decision is a further blow to Saatchi & Saatchi's nightmare run of account losses, including ACP and WestpacTrust's direct marketing.

Last week Lion Red dumped the Chinnies campaign.

Lion Nathan asked last week whether any other agency could "handle" the Lion Red account. Saatchi & Saatchi has more than 12 years' experience on both brands.

However, sponsorship director Graham Seatter said a final decision on both brands had not been made at that time, and the double-whammy verdict was given to Saatchi & Saatchi only yesterday.

Meares Taine - run by former Saatchi & Saatchi creatives Roy Meares and Jeremy Taine - has won five brand accounts off its larger rival during the past year.

Saatchi & Saatchi retains Waikato Draught and Macs, but the brands are insignificant compared with the Steinlager and Lion Red brands, which could be worth up to $5 million a year to Meares Taine.

But even the small brands could be moved.

Andrew Tinning, creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, kept his comments brief yesterday.

"It was one out of the box," he said. "

"It's not going to break the spirit of the agency."

Seatter said Lion Red sales had not reached potential.

"In terms of the track record [for the Chinnies campaign] ... there was movement in the [18-24 year old] market, but not enough traction on other markets."

He also said Steinlager's television Lust for Life campaign did not have "cut-through" in its market.

Its mark two version, featuring Danielle Cormack, had been reduced and was being taken off air at the end of the month.

Seatter said a pitch was not carried out on the brands, as Lion Nathan had had enough experience with Meares Taine to offer it the account.

Meares Taine's principals worked on Lion Nathan brands while at Saatchi & Saatchi.