Gudang Garam shortlists three agencies for new brand

The three agencies include Y&R Indonesia, WPP marketing agency Soho Square, and a local agency.

Currently, there are six brands under the Gudang Garam portfolio, including Gudang Garam International, Gudang Garam Surya 12, Gudang Garam Surya 16, Gudang Garam Surya Slim, Gudang Garam Merah and Gudang Garam Djaja.

Its main competitors are Bentoel, Djarum and Sampoerena, which all compete in the filter, non-filter and filter with clove cigarette categories.

In March this year, Publicis Thailand won Gudang Garam’s creative account for Surya 16 brand, following a eight-agency pitch involving JWT, Ogilvy, Advantage, AdCentric, Coleman Handoko and incumbent McCann Erickson.

The tobacco company is well known as a high quality kretek cigarette producer, and Surya 16 is the most successful filter cigarette in its class. Business is valued at up to US$18 million.

In May last year, the tobacco company handed the creative business of its Merah and Djaja brands to TCP-TBWA following a five-way pitch process.