PAGE 1 RUMORED TO BE CLOSING, DEVELOPS NEW KITCHEN CREATIONS SPOT
By Adnews Staff
True North Communications, based in Chicago, is reportedly preparing to hang the closed sign on the doors of Page 1, the Toronto boutique agency it opened six months ago. According to a report in the National Post, a unnamed source said Page 1 will likely be closed by Christmas. The agency, created to handle conflict accounts for sister agency Harrod & Mirlin/FCB, lost two of its accounts this year due to consolidation, Mead Johnson and BestFoods, the report said. Ian Mirlin, president of Page 1, would not comment on the report but said an announcement is expected today. Mirlin stepped down as president of H&M/FCB, the agency he co-founded with partner Brian Harrod, when he joined Page 1.
In other Page 1 news, the agency recently completed a commercial to support a new meal kit from Bestfoods of Toronto. Page 1, which retained the Knorr brand advertising when Bestfoods was acquired by Unilever in June, created a new 30-second bilingual spot called "Take Home a Chef." Bestfoods introduced its "Kitchen Creations" meal kits in May, launching into a new product area while at the same time branching out its Knorr soups and sauces line. The new "Kitchen Creations" kits features Knorr sauces and are available in four varieties. The spot, which began running yesterday for a six-week run, features a mother searching grocery shelves for the perfect dinner solution for her family. The ad returns to the airwaves in January for an additional eight weeks. In-store demonstrations and sampling programs are supporting the television advertising.