Agencies line up for Stoli vodka business

Stoli, the Latvia-based vodka brand that recently suffered a Western boycott over its Russian-sounding name, is conducting a global creative agency review.

The 85-year-old brand was called Stolichnaya until it made the name change in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. The change was part of a PR offensive to underline its independence from, and its founder’s condemnation of, Russia after US consumers started boycotting its product.

It is not clear whether there is an incumbent agency on the creative account.

The last agency named as working for the brand was FF New York, which produced a global campaign called “Loud and clear” across TV, digital, social and print in 2018. Previous incumbents include IPG’s The Martin Agency and WPP’s Ogilvy.

Stoli’s most recent activity was a tie-up this year with New York artist and creative director Jason Naylor, which generated a limited-edition glow-in-the-dark bottle design emphasising love and positivity and the accompanying campaign theme "Liberate your spirit".

The agency review is already at shortlist stage, according to Stoli’s global creative and brand engagement lead, Guilherme Brun.