Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Co. says it’s “way too early to tell” what will happen to agency assignments following a surprise shakeup last month in which president-ceo Jack MacDonough, vp-marketing Jack Rooney, and vp-sales Chris Moore were abruptly dismissed.
The sackings came after increasing criticism of ad plans from distributors, who reportedly spurned new ads for Miller Lite and MGD unveiled at a March distributors’ meeting in Nashville.
To salvage Miller, parent Philip Morris brought back wunderkind John Bowlin from his tour of duty at Kraft Foods International. Bowlin was president-chief operating officer at Miller for 17 months in ’93-’94 before moving to Kraft as president of Kraft North America. Miller also tapped Philip Morris USA execs Robert Mikulay as senior vp-marketing and James Mortensen as senior vp-sales and distribution. (At Kraft Foods International, group vp Roger Deromedi replaces Bowlin as president-ceo.)
Ad agency reviews seem likely: Fallon McElligott of Minneapolis handles Miller Lite, and has take heat for the ambiguous “Dick” campaign; Portland, OR-based Weiden & Kennedy handles MGD, whose grungy black & white TV spots have been criticized, too.
Promotion seems less likely to be reassigned: Miller consolidated all work with St. Louis-based The Zipatoni Company and GMR Marketing of New Berlin, WI, in 1997. Off-premise promos have gotten good display support from retailers, and on-premise efforts have helped reinforce the brand’s image among young adults.
Bowlin is well-respected at Miller, and his return is said to be boosting morale among longtime employees.
The hiring of Mikulay and Mortensen may signal Miller’s long-term view of the beer marketplace: A source close to Philip Morris speculates, “If Philip Morris looks at the beer business like the tobacco business and thinks that eventually beer advertising will [be banned], they have to get Miller fixed, because Budweiser is the Marlboro of beer.”
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