Carat China scoops Johnson & Johnson's Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical media

The account is understood to be worth approximately US$30 million. The pitch was first called in March.

“We are pleased to begin our partnership with Xian-Janssen and to working with their market leading brands, said Robert Fuchs, VP of Aegis Media China. “We look forward to bringing a strong consumer-focused approach and to introducing a series of new and innovative elements to the overall media mix.”

It is understood Carat will handle the account under the Aegis Media J+ Media Care structure as it currently does in Europe. This is Aegis Media’s first appointment outside of Europe, where the agency is currently Johnson & Johnson’s agency-of-record.

Xian Janssen Pharmaceutica’s buying account was not included in the pitch. OMD, the agency-of-record for Johnson & Johnson in China, will continue to work on this part of the business.

OMD won Johnson & Johnson in 2007. The agency was handed the business after it triumphed over Zenith Media in a costings review. The win strengthened OMD’s hold on the lucrative J&J business in China, which also includes Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.

Ogilvy Advertising will remain in charge of creative duties for the Xian-Janssen brands it won in 2006, which include Daktarin, Pevisone and Triatop, in a review which also saw DraftFCB pick up its anti-allergy business.

In 1985, Janssen Pharmaceutica was the first Western pharmaceutical company to set up a pharmaceutical factory in the People’s Republic of China.

Motilium and Daktarin are among Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutica’s main products in China.