In May, Hershey announced that it would review its U.S. media roster. It did so because the company wanted to “ensure media continues to operate and thrive as a growth engine for Hershey,” according to Vinny Rinaldi, head of U.S. media for Hershey.

Now, the company has selected a newly created team, MiltonONE, from Publicis, as its agency of record for the company’s U.S. candy, mint, gum (CMG), salty and protein business units. The move completes the comprehensive review of all media and solidifies the opportunity to centralize integrated media responsibilities. The review did not include media for Hershey’s international markets. 

Publicis created MiltonONE as a custom solution, full of top talent across various Publicis offices to service the Hershey brands.

Since 2018, Hershey has acquired a variety of brands, including Amplify Snack Brands, One and Fulfil protein bars and, most recently, Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels. The addition of those brands provided an opportunity to centralize responsibility for media.

“Publicis demonstrated leading expertise to accelerate key capabilities while unlocking value and growth for our brands at Hershey,” said Rinaldi. “Their strong focus on strategic planning, integrated investment, and data & technology enhancements will complement our internal integrated media capabilities as we propel Hershey into the future.”

Hershey named Horizon Media as U.S. media agency of record for its core confectionary business in 2021. That assignment did not include media buying and planning responsibilities for Hershey-owned Amplify Foods and One brands, or markets outside the U.S.

Hershey was advised by the media and marketing advisory firm MediaLink throughout the review.

Details of the deal were not disclosed, but COMvergence estimates the 2023 U.S. spending for Hershey at $308 million.