Facebook and RB ink $100m+ deal

Warc, 6 August 2014

PARSIPPANY, NJ: Facebook and RB, the FMCG multinational formerly known as Reckitt Benckiser, are forming a global partnership to drive growth for RB's brands, the company's US division has announced.

RB said it is entering a "multi-year, nine-figure global partnership" with Facebook in order to connect RB brands with the social network's worldwide base of users.

It also aims to increase sales and raise brand loyalty with Facebook assisting with the development of RB's media plans and creative campaigns, MediaPost reported.

The partnership has been in development for two years, but was launched formally this week and "rapid expansion" of the relationship is planned over the next three years, RB said.

But the partnership goes beyond brand development because both companies have committed to integrating staff from their global sales, marketing and creative teams.

They will also hold joint recruiting events at key universities and design career development and training programmes to nurture talent.

The dedicated teams will work together initially in the US, UK, Canada, Italy, Brazil, India and Australia to connect Facebook users with RB's brands, which include well-known products like Air Wick, Lysol, Dettol antiseptic and Strepsils medicine.

"Consumers sit at the heart of the relationship," explained Heather Allen, evp of category development at RB. "We are really excited to be working so closely with Facebook to engage with consumers in a relevant and meaningful way.

"This is a true global partnership, and I have been delighted by what RB and Facebook have been able to accomplish across so many markets."

Commenting on behalf of Facebook, Carolyn Everson, the company's vp of global marketing solutions, said: "Our people, our principles, and our missions are aligned."

"Given our successes together to date, we are absolutely clear on the wider and far-reaching benefits of this partnership … by 2015, we will have uncovered even more innovative ways of driving our businesses together," she added.

Data sourced from RB, MediaPost; additional content by Warc