Red Bridge Communications boosts F&B portfolio with Costa Coffee and Guinness wins

Costa Coffee, a coffee chain from the UK that has been in the Chinese market since 2006 and has more than 200 stores, is set to open its first store in Singapore this month and is also opening shops in Thailand and Cambodia this year.

An agency spokesperson said Red Bridge has built a good relationship with Costa Coffee management while working on a project basis. Penny Burgess (pictured), managing partner of Red Bridge Communications, also worked on the Starbucks account when she was the managing director of Ketchum China.

The yearlong appointment represents the brand’s first engagement of a retained communications agency in the market. Red Bridge will be responsible for growing the brand’s reputation and evolving its communications to creatively engage with Chinese coffee drinkers through a series of integrated campaigns. The brand uses Iris Singapore as its creative agency.

Reported in late May, Starbucks China has awarded JWT its social media engagement business for the next year, with digital strategy (website and mobile application) still being done by Agenda.

For Guinness, Red Bridge will focus on launching the iconic brand in China, advising Guinness on its positioning, launch and activation strategy. Red Bridge successfully helped Diageo with its Shanghai White Vodka product launch last year.

Also this week, Guinness, whose previous campaigns were mainly above-the-line, has reportedly sought out Saatchi & Saatchi to handle its digital and direct accounts.

“Both Guinness and Costa Coffee are leading brands within their respective categories, and we are very proud to have been selected as their communications partner," Burgess said. "In both instances the brief allowed us to demonstrate our international experience and deep understanding of the food and beverage, hospitality and retail sectors in China.”