RED Havas is now the official PR agency of record for chocolate brand KitKat (pictured) and Allen’s.

The new deal covers storytelling-based PR, influencer, and brand experience duties, including new product launches for 2020. RED Havas’ remit for Allen’s will also include campaigns to attract more sweets enthusiasts to one of Australia’s iconic chocolates.

RED Havas was one of several agencies that joined Nestle Australia’s pitch. Incumbent PR agency of record History Will Be Kind opted to move on from the account after several years.   

“Nestlé Confectionery is home to some of Australia’s most well-loved brands so we’re excited to partner up and increase the impact both Kit Kat and Allen’s have on today’s popular culture. We believe the Holy Grail is to be a meaningful brand and that data-driven insights and creativity lie at the heart of achieving that mission. Watch this space for some uniquely shar

Some of the Horizon Communications Group’s existing clients have tapped it for work on the sustainability front while landing a new one along the way.

On the current clients front, Horizon was assigned by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation to build and execute a new behaviour change communication strategy for the Australasian Recycling Label and a new communication strategy for the ANZPAC Plastic Pact.

Designed for launching in late 2020, the Pact is a five-year accord between Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island-nations to eliminate single-use plastics and to develop new standards for sustainable plastic materials.

For Planet Ark, Horizon will handle its national campaigns for the third-straight year, such as the National Tree Day and National Recycling Week.

Horizon will also continue communication duties for the NSW Environmental Protection Agency’s Love Food Hate Waste initiative. 

The new client duties come off the heels of Horizon winning t

Sunita Gloster has exited the WPP organisation as its chief customer officer. 

She joined the company in January 2019, having spent a year at PwC Australia. No successors have been appointed.

WPP AUNZ CEO Jens Moonsees said Gloster’s exit was a mutual decision.

“On behalf of everyone at WPP AUNZ, we thank Sunita for her contribution and wish her the very best for the future,” Moonsees said.

PR agency Edelman Australia has won the account for Mars Australia.

The new deal will cover services such as reputation and crisis management, content marketing, creative development and production, and corporate communications.

“This new alliance combines the full range of Edelman Australia’s integrated communication services, and is the perfect synergy with both partners independent family owned companies, who are able to use their freedom to invest in the long term future of their people, businesses and the communities in which they operate,” read an official statement from Mars Australia.

VMLY&R’s Melbourne office has enlisted former McCann employee Dan Brown into the brand strategy department, as a senior strategist.

He will be in charge of brand strategy for lead client Defence Force Recruiting and clients such as AusPost, the Department of Transport, and Vocus.

“As soon as you speak to the team here you can sense that they’re onto a good thing. They’re also bloody lovely too. I’m thrilled to be joining a diverse and incredibly talented team, and can’t wait to get stuck into the business end of things,” said Brown.

Brown’s entry firms up a year-long effort to build up VMLY&R’s strategy service. Ken Chan is already in as strategy director, complemented by senior digital strategist Josh Swingler, business analyst Amy Dromgoole, data analyst Anup Bale, and strategist Lauren Isaak.

WPP AUNZ agency opr has promoted some employees to executive posts, effective this week. 

opr/Howorth group managing director Graham White is now opr’s first-ever COO. The move comes as he is marking 20 years with opr next month and 15 years with Howorth.

opr’s chief growth officer Jacquie Potter is now double-hatted as Howorth’s new managing director. She has logged almost 14 years with both agencies, even leading opr’s Melbourne operations for two years. 

Samantha Gale also joined opr as the new assistant managing director, based in Melbourne. She will be assigned to handle healthcare clients, with healthcare managing partner Rachel Stanton as her immediate superior. Gale previously held account manager/director jobs at Edelman Australia, Weber Shandwick, and Cox Inall Change.

“Key to opr’s growth is having the best people so that we can continue to expand our fully integrated marketing communications capabilities and ensure our clien

The Four Pillars distillery has hired Jemma Blanch as its first-ever marketing, events, and activation director. 

Reporting to co-founders Stuart Gregor and Matt Jones, she will be in charge of promotion efforts for Four Pillars in Australia and 25 countries. 

Blanch came in from Sydney lifestyle comms agency Liquid Ideas, where she signed up in 2011 as senior account executive and finished in early 2019 as client/culture director. 

“We are thrilled to have Jemma join the team, she is one of the most impressive talents we have seen come through the ranks of Liquid Ideas, she is a passionate believer in advocacy and creative marketing and a true lover of Four Pillars – she is the only person in history to have their wedding at the distillery,” read a Four Pillars statement.

Follow Blanch on LinkedIn.