Two Scoops for Nestl
Nestlé SA, Vevey, Switzerland, in December confirmed reports (December 2001 PROMO) that it would aquire sole ownership of Häagen-Dazs in North America through a $641 million cash buyout of partner Pillsbury.
The deal was prompted by Minneapolis-based General Mills’ acquisition of Pillsbury from Diageo, plc, which triggered a clause in the partners’ original agreement addressing Pillsbury’s potential sale.
Nestlé now has full rights to the Häagen-Dazs brand in the U.S. and Canada for 99 years. (General Mills retains rights to operate Häagen-Dazs internationally.) The deal is expected to give Nestlé a major boost in its U.S. competition with Unilever.
CRC, Eden Prairie, MN, handles promotion for Häagen-Dazs. Nestlé uses multiple agencies including Einson Freeman, Paramus, NJ; Frankel, Chicago; Mars Advertising, Southfield, MI; and Bounty SCA, Chicago.
The deal was unveiled at about the same time Nestlé closed its $10.3 billion purchase of St. Louis-based Ralston Purina one day after getting approval from the Federal Trade Commission. To comply with FTC requests, the company will sell off Purina’s Meow Mix and Alley Cat brands before combining the rest of the company’s operations with its own North American Friskies business to form Nestlé Purina PetCare Co, with headquarters in St. Louis.
Ralston Purina has worked with Robinson & Maites, Chicago, among other shops.
AOL Time Warner, New York City, struck a broad marketing agreement with Motorola, Schaumburg, IL, that gives the telecommunications company access to a vast array of online and media outlets. Motorola will also offer AOL Instant Messenger service with its wireless devices and license AOL’s Warner Bros. content (including Loony Tunes characters) for use in ring tones, screen savers, and wireless games. In recent months, AOL Time Warner has struck similarly broad pacts with Kraft Foods, Kellogg USA, and Burger King (January PROMO).
Talk about a slam-dunk. Canton, MA-based Reebok International signed a “lifetime” endorsement deal with National Basketball Association star Allen Iverson that locks in the Philadelphia 76’ers star for the remainder of his career. Reebok will feature Iverson prominently in marketing and a new line of signature products. Last year, Reebok signed a 10-year alliance with the New York City-based NBA to design, develop, sell, and market licensed merchandise for its four leagues.
Electronic Arts, Los Angeles, struck a three-year development and marketing agreement with Denmark-based Lego Systems that will create at least 30 co-branded video-game titles. Electronic Arts is using the alliance to better target Lego’s core audience of six- to 12-year-old-boys.
