Heineken has appointed IPG Mediabrands agency UM as its agency of record in Australia without a pitch, AdNews can reveal.

The brand, which has its marketing and distribution managed by Lion locally, confirmed the appointment to AdNews.

The business had sat with Zenith for a decade, but now moves to UM as of next month as part of a global alignment.

The account is worth $3.5 million, according to figures provided by Nielsen.

In a statement from Lion Beer Australia, the company told AdNews it had consolidated its roster to drive “greater efficiency and effectiveness”, following a review of its media agency arrangements.

The news comes as Heineken continues its market-by-market global review.

In Australia UM picked up the entire Lion portfolio, which includes Tooheys, James Squire and XXXX Gold, in 2016, following a competitive pitch from Bohemia.

“Heineken have had a strong relationship with Zenith for many years and we thank the team of their support and dedication to the Heineken brand,” Heineken country manager Damian Babkowski told AdNews.

Zenith general manager Sydney Jonny Cordony says Zenith has enjoyed a positive working relationship with Heineken over the last 10 years.

“We are proud to have delivered effective and innovative work that was recognised globally within the Heineken business and we wish the brand all the success into the future,” Cordony says.

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