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Mondelēz International plans to look at creative agencies in the U.S., a spokesperson for the packaged food marketer confirmed to Marketing Dive. The move comes as the company recently appointed Travis Freeman, formerly of Inspire Brands, as senior vice president and global head of consumer experience, replacing Jon Halvorson. Ad Age first reported the changes.
Mondelēz’s portfolio includes snacks including Ritz, Oreo, Chips Ahoy and BelVita. The company works with several creative outlets in the U.S., including Martin Agency for Ritz and Oreo, and Publicis’ Digitas for other biscuit products.
The Martin Agency has been handling Super Bowl work for Ritz and Oreo for the past three years. The agency is looking for a future position for Ritz after the brand appeared in the Big Game last year. The new ad is scheduled to air in the third quarter and promises a “reinvented direction” for saltine crackers. Martin Agency recently became part of Omnicom following the advertising holding group’s acquisition of rival Interpublic Group.
It is not uncommon for agency reviews to adjust to changes in marketing leadership. Freeman previously spent four years as chief media officer at restaurant giant Inspire, which owns chains such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’ and Sonic. The executive also has a background in agency and technology, having previously worked at Dentsu, VaynerMedia, Twitter, and Uber. Halvorson, formerly global senior vice president of consumer experience and digital commerce at Mondelēz, joined Tylenol maker Kenvue in the fall as head of marketing.
Mondelēz has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence to deliver marketing content faster and at lower cost, including a generative AI tool called AIDA. Some of Mondelēz’s generative AI platforms were built with support from Publicis Groupe and Accenture.
While savory snacks, including Ritz, have been a bright spot for Mondelēz during a difficult time for large packaged food brands, biscuits have suffered more in the United States. Mondelēz’s third-quarter net revenue rose 5.9% year over year to $9.74 billion, in line with analyst estimates.
