After three months of pitch presentations in the fall, digital and design agency OneMethod can now celebrate knowing that it has been named Nestle Canada’s newest agency partner.

The Toronto-based agency, which was acquired by Bensimon Byrne in early 2012, won the account on December 17 and will handle the digital business for a multitude of Nestle confectionery brands including Kit Kat, Smarties, Aero, Coffee Crisp and Turtles. JWT will continue to handle the brand’s mass advertising.

Steve Miller, VP creative director, OneMethod says he will lead the account from a creative perspective, with Max Valiquette, managing director, strategy, Bensimon Byrne leading the brand’s strategy. The agency will also look at adding one or two additional staffers to handle and manage the increased workload from a social media perspective, he says.

The goal for 2013 will be to establish an emotional connection online with Nestle Canada’s already existing consumers, adds Miller. “I don’t think there will be any audacious campaigns just yet, it’s first going to be about strengthening current relationships and really understanding the online consumer as it relates to the brands,” he says. “And when that is established, then we will move onto creating wider-reaching experiences with them.”

OneMethod will also look at integrating digital into the retail space, he says, such as implementing NFC, participating in geo-targeting, ramping up efforts in mobile and have a presence on digital screens in stores.

“For confectionery brands, nobody is going online and researching hours or days before they want a chocolate bar,” adds Miller. “It’s such an impulse purchase, and is typically in-store where you have three to five brands in your selection set. So we’ll be looking at anything beyond posters and circulars where we can have the opportunity to engage with our consumers when it’s their snack time, at the point of sale.”