• by David Kaplan , October 18, 2004

Interpublic Group's Initiative has scored another Asian media win with the awarding of Unilever's communication channel agency assignment for South Korea Monday.

The account is estimated at 10 billion Korean Won, or roughly equal to $8 million U.S. dollars a year. It has been awarded for a two-year period beginning in January 2005.

Initiative now handles Unilever business in four countries in Asia and 47 other markets worldwide. Since 2002, Initiative has won pitches to consolidate business in key Unilever markets, Japan and Indonesia, and as new business in Taiwan and this most recent win, South Korea, amounting to a net increase in Unilever regional business in excess of $150 million, according to an Initiative spokeswoman.

Initiative Asia Pacific has won over 50 new accounts across the region in 2004, including Revlon in 17 markets, McDonald's in Indonesia, Fairfax Publishing in Australia, Sapura Holdings in Malaysia, BMW in Thailand, and Samsung in Southeast Asia.

Initiative won the latest Unilever assignment with their partner Grape Communications. Unilever Korea's consumer products include brands such as Dove, Pond's, Vaseline, and Lipton. Unilever products have been marketed in South Korea since 1985.