Global Accounts Centre Tracking brands, agencies and business wins

Account Move

Digitas wins Taco Bell digital account

Yum Brands has appointed Digitas as the interactive agency for its Taco Bell chain following a digital review that began earlier this year.

The Publicis Groupe agency, part of the Vivaki group, fought off fellow Publicis agency Denuo and WPP’s fresh acquisition AKQA. Digitas will head up social marketing, digital creative, mobile programs and digital media for the fast food chain. The account will be led by Digitas executive vice-president and managing director Doug Ryan.

The account was previously held by DraftFCB and R/GA. DraftFCB will continue to handle broadcast, merchandising and media for the brand.

Although the value of the digital account is unclear, Taco Bell spent $250m on US measured media excluding digital in 2011, according to Kantar Media.

Taco Bell has approximately 6,500 restaurants around the world and generates revenues of approximately $2bn a year. Yum Brands also owns the KFC and Pizza Hut fast food brands.

In December 2011, Digitas lost its chief executive Laura Lang to Time Inc, having run the digital agency since its acquisition by Publicis in 2008.

David Hing, London