Suntory Beverage & Food Asia's regional media account up for grabs once again

A year after handing Initiative its regional media account duties, it seems as though Suntory Beverage & Food Asia is once again on the hunt for a media agency.The appointment of Initiative was in May last year and this was the company's first-ever regional pitch worth more than US$65 million managed by pitch consultant R3. In the last round, Initiative successfully defended and retained Cerebos in Singapore, while adding key brands under Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Group to its media planning and buying duties.  The appointment also sees Initiative taking on duties in markets such as Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Initiative was also the incumbent in Thailand.Prior to its consolidation, the Japanese group worked with a variety of agencies including Vivaki, Mindshare and local shops in the region.The current pitch is once again handled by R3 and covers the Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand markets.Meanwhile, in August 2016, Cerebos’ Health Supplement Division, known for its flagship product Brand’s Essence of Chicken, appointed Mirum Singapore to drive the brand’s digital initiatives. The Cerebos Health Supplement Division is one of three divisions under Suntory Beverage & Food Asia (SBFA).