Building on the phenomenal success it is enjoying in South Africa, media agency Carat has established itself as a leading player in east and southern Africa by winning the Coca-Cola account in six countries within the region.
The six countries are Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Kenya and Uganda. In the first four of these countries Carat Africa will be responsible for the Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite brands, while in Kenya and Uganda it will be responsible for Novida, a non-alcoholic malt based drink.
The pitch comprised of four companies, Mediacom (which previously held the account), MediaShop (which holds the Coca-Cola account in South Africa), Starcom and Carat.
Adriana Prista-Johnson, Media Manager for Carat Africa, described the win as a major achievement for the company. She ascribed the success to a number of factors, including a deep understanding of the client's business and Carat's commitment to investing in Africa.
"The Carat team from Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda and Kenya all began their careers in media by working on the Coca-Cola account. We are totally excited about winning the Coca-Cola account. For most of us it feels like the return home of a long-time love," said Prista-Johnson.
"I believe that the client was also impressed by the focus that Carat Africa places on training throughout the continent," she added.
Other major accounts held by Carat Africa include Nokia (throughout the continent) and the Procter and Gamble account, which the company recently won in West Africa.
In South Africa, Carat holds several key accounts, including Cell C, Old Mutual, Johnson & Johnson, Nokia, Woolworths and - it's most recent success in South Africa - Kraft Foods.
Carat is part of the Aegis media group, currently the biggest media network in Europe according to the RECMA billings classification. Dawn Rowlands, Aegis CEO for Sub- Saharan Africa, says that the region is an extremely important growth area for the group.
"Our existing international clients regard Africa as probably the fastest growing area after Asia. There is huge potential for both ourselves and our clients. For this reason we continue to invest heavily in developing our business in the region, particularly in terms of the quality of the people who work for the Group. Our current clients are increasingly recognizing this and we look forward to significant growth in the future," she says.
For more information please contact Quinton Jones, MD of Carat SA on Tel (021) 526 6300 or Erica Gunning, MD of Carat JHB on Tel (011) 367 4560.
