MUMBAI: After a more than 25-year partnership with Rediffusion Y&R, Colgate Palmolive India has now found a new creative partner in Bates 141. The move is part of the FMCG giant’s global re-alignment strategy.
 
Earlier in February this year, Colgate Palmolive India had decided to shift its media planning and buying business from TME, the media arm of Rediffusion DY&R, to Mediaedge:cia (MEC), a GroupM company. TME had, thus, ended a 25-year-old relationship in India that had even survived the global alignment of Colgate-Palmolive‘s media business with MEC in 2004.

And now with the creative account moving to Bates 141, the FMCG major has completely snapped its association with the agency.
 
 “Though for Rediffusion Y&R Colgate Palmolive’s moving out is a huge pain, the overall financial loss for the group is less than three per cent,” says a top media executive who did not want his name to be revealed.

Bates 141 will begin to work on the account from 1 October.

Meanwhile, WPP is planning to craft an independent unit under Bates 141, only to serve the Colgate account.
 
Colgate-Palmolive‘s range includes toothpastes, toothpowder and toothbrushes under the Colgate brand, dental therapies under the banner of Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals and personal care products under the Palmolive brand.