The move follows intensive pitching that also involved Dentsu and decade-long incumbent ADK Taiwan.
Leo Burnett will be responsible for creative work for Pfizer's Centrum range (including Centrum Base, Centrum Junior, Centrum Silver, Centrum New Prenatl) and the Robitussin range (including Robitussin DM, Robitussin Syrup, Robitussin Day Night Cough, Cold & Flu F.C. Caplet, Robitussin Cough, Cold & Flu F.C. Caplets).
The agency said that the advertising spend for Centrum and Robitussin over the coming year would total $3.2 million and US$1 million, respectively. The appointment does not affect Pfizer's media planning and buying relationship with Carat in the market.
In the Chinese mainland, Pfizer China recently called a media pitch for its subsidiaries Pfizer Nutrition (PN) and Consumer Healthcare (PCH), attended by Carat, Maxus, PHD and ZenithOptimedia.
Carat is the incumbent on the PN business with ZenithOptimedia currently handling PCH Caltrate and Robitussin's media planning.
Carat and ZenithOptimedia currently split the clients' media buying accounts across various cities in China, taking roughly 50 per cent each.
Pfizer China's media business is believed to worth $77 million. Pfizer Nutrition's two infant milk formulas Wyeth Gold and Illuma are worth around $46 million combined, with Pfizer Consumer Healthcare's three brands Centrum, Caltrate and cough syrup brand Robitussin worth about $31 million.