Steve’s breakdown: Not for nothin’ but  New York Bakery Co is looking for an agency to handle its $4 million ad account. Personally I like the Jewish and the Irish guys but they were forced into it.

SWINTON, UK: The business was previously handled by JWT London, but the agency was forced to resign the account after it picked up a chunk of the Premier Foods business, including the Hovis brand.

JWT was appointed to the business in May 2010 without a pitch. Its appointment marked the first time that New York Bakery Co held a retained agency. Previous campaigns were mostly handled in-house, with the majority of activity focusing on sales promotion work. These have included competitions to win trips to New York.

Last year, New York Bakery Co promoted its range of bagels with a PR stunt involving a semi-naked street performer, John Burck, busking at St Pancras International station wearing cowboy boots, a cowboy hat and a pair of pants. The stunt was advertised using press ads in Metro.

Premier Foods split its portfolio of brands between JWT London and McCann London in March. As well as Hovis, JWT picked up Oxo, Ambrosia and Mr Kipling. McCann took Batchelors and Loyd Grossman and retained Bisto and Sharwood’s.

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