• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, October 6, 2011

French dairy company Groupe Bel has selected Omnicom's OMD to handle the bulk of its $200 million global media assignment, after a formal review, the client has confirmed.

Bel brands include Mini Babybel, Leerdammer and Boursin cheeses. The company's iconic logo is The Laughing Cow. Publicis Groupe's ZenithOptimedia also retained its assignment covering the Middle East and North Africa.

OMD retained the U.S. and Canada and won the majority of Europe, which had been handled by Aegis Group's Carat. OMD also retained the UK business. Also pitching the account was WPP's Mindshare.

According to sources, it was OMD's Chicago office that led the agency's pitch. The Chicago office has handled the client's U.S. business for the last five years.

OMD's Paris office will be coordinating the Bel account globally for the agency.

Sources said the client was pleased with its recent growth in the U.S. and let the agency know if its pitch convinced client executives that if that success could be translated worldwide, OMD would likely win.

A memo is going out to U.S. staffers Friday, informing them of the win.

Bel reported revenues of $3.2 billion in 2010, up nearly 9%.

Other recent major wins for OMD include the $180 million Tourism Australia assignment and the $150 million Activision Account. Those awards both came in June.