Advertising Age - Agency News

JetBlue and JWT Parting Ways

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:08:30 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- JetBlue Airways and its creative agency, WPP-owned JWT, are splitting up, despite a four-year run marked by the airline doubling its footprint to some 60 markets and earning a dedicated terminal at New York's JFK airport.

Reckitt Benckiser Consolidates Media Buying with Havas, Publicis Shops

mbush@adage.com(Michael Bush) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:24:52 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Reckitt Benckiser has consolidated its $1.3 billion global traditional and digital media account for its 17 Powerbrands, which include products such as Lysol, Woolite and Calgon, with Havas' and Publicis' media groups, the marketer said in a statement. Both had previously worked with the packaged goods giant. Shops from Omnicom and WPP also pitched the business.

Pizza Hut Review Down to Martin and Gotham

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:54:06 -0500

The creative review for Pizza Hut's $200 million account is down to a shootout between two Interpublic Group shops, Richmond, Va.-based Martin Agency and Gotham, New York, according to executives familiar with the matter.

Bloomberg Seeks Agency for Global Branding

nives@adage.com(Nat Ives) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:18:48 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- As it gets ready to officially take ownership of BusinessWeek magazine, Bloomberg is looking for help with global branding and advertising across its portfolio of media properties.

Farfar Co-founder Nicke Bergstrom Joins Mother, New York

adiaz@creativity-online.com(Ann-Christine Diaz) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:48:04 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- And another Swede enters the building. Nicke Bergstrom, one of the co-founders and creative director of the much decorated Swedish digital agency Farfar, has found a new home at Mother, New York.

Ogilvy Taps Carla Hendra to Head New Global-Strategy Arm

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:12:08 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- More changes are afoot at Ogilvy & Mather as Carla Hendra will relinquish her day-to-day responsibilities as chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, New York, and CEO of Ogilvy North America. The move, effective early next year, puts Ogilvy's U.S. and New York operations under the charge of a single leader -- Ogilvy veteran John Seifert -- for the first time in years.

Cadillac Narrows Contenders List to Three

jhalliday@adage.com(Jean Halliday) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:27:44 -0500

DETROIT (AdAge.com) -- General Motors Co.'s Cadillac has cut the list of semi-finalists vying for the brand's national creative account in half. The shops moving to the next round are two Publicis Groupe shops: Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York, and Publicis, New York; along with Interpublic Group of Cos.' Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.

Lowe-Deutsch Conflict Spurs Zicam Agency Review

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:10:08 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The maker of cold remedy Zicam, Matrixx Initiatives, has begun the second review of its $30 million ad account in the span of a year, due to an account conflict spurred by the merger of Zicam's current agency, Lowe, New York, with sibling Deutsch.

Saatchi Wins U.S. Duties for Enfamil Brand, Expands Role on Roster

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:46:33 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi has added U.S. ad duties for Enfamil baby formula, expanding its relationship on parent Mead Johnson Nutrition's nearly $300 million global account after a lengthy pitch.

Agencies: 15 Risks You Can't Afford Not to Take

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:37:24 -0500

Economists are always talking about types of risks you can afford and the kinds you can't afford to take. For those of us in the agency business, the latter bucket of risks is mostly about failing to adapt to the dramatic changes affecting the agency business model. Here are 15 things agencies can't afford to risk.

Procurement Is Subject of Contention at AAF Awards

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:29 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Procurement took a bit of a beating at the American Advertising Federation's annual Hall of Achievement awards today, a sign that some marketers and agencies have reached the breaking point when it comes to the penny-pinching that they feel is starting to strangle creativity and innovation.

Crocs Moves Global Business to Cramer-Krasselt

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:11:01 -0500

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Crocs has shifted its global creative, media, digital and PR business to Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago, following a review. Independent C-K bested two of its Chicago neighbors, incumbent TimeZoneOne and Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett, in the pitch for the marketing account. Crocs spent about $12 million on measured media in the U.S. last year.

Last Decade a Tumultuous One for Chrysler and BBDO

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Last week's announcement that BBDO would shutter its Motor City office dealt a devastating blow to the nearly 500 employees that for years serviced Chrysler's marketing needs, and also signaled the end of a decades-long, storied marriage between the carmaker and BBDO. Here we'll take you through the highs and lows over the past 10 years of one of adland's most-watched relationships: BBDO and Chrysler.

Publicis Merges PR Operations Into One Unit Under MS&L Banner

mbush@adage.com(Michael Bush) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) --Maurice Levy is combining all of Publicis's public affairs, financial communications, events and specialized firms into one network in the hopes of shaking up the world order and creating a new global player under the MS&L Group banner

Does the Industry Need Big Digital Agencies Anymore?

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- When Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. dumped Digitas, Tribal DDB and Agency.com for a trio of smaller, production-centric digital shops last week, it did more than deal a setback to three global interactive agency networks. It raised the question of whether big digital agencies are being outflanked by leaner, faster, more-creative shops.

Belvedere Hands Account to Arnell in Bid to 'Broaden Audience'

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:58:01 -0500

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Belvedere Vodka, owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH, is the latest in a growing line of spirits brands to look for a new agency and fresh messaging amid a recession that has jolted the image-obsessed category. The premium vodka brand has shifted its creative-advertising account to Arnell Group.

Ikea Sticks With Mediaedge:cia for Planning, Buying in U.S.

mbush@adage.com(Michael Bush) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:50:56 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- WPP's Mediaedge:cia has retained traditional and digital media-planning and -buying duties in the U.S. for Ikea as part of the retailer's global media review, beating out independent Horizon Media, according to the marketer. The account is worth nearly $90 million.

Wrigley Drops Tribal DDB, Digitas and Agency.com for Digital

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:21:32 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Wrigley is yanking digital agency-of-record duties from Tribal DDB, Digitas and Agency.com and shifting to a creative shootout strategy between a roster of agencies including independents Big Spaceship and Firstborn and Omnicom majority-owned EVB, according to executives familiar with the matter.

GM Moves Digital Duties to MRM From Digitas' Prodigious Unit

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:45:47 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- General Motors is moving its U.S. digital production duties to MRM Worldwide's MRM Supply from the Digitas-owned production shop Prodigious Worldwide, as part of a cost-savings effort by the carmaker. The five-year deal is worth $100 million in billings, according to executives familiar with the matter.

Pepsi Shakes Up Digital Advertising Roster

kpatel@adage.com(Kunur Patel) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:18:04 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- PepsiCo is making some major changes to its digital-advertising roster, and its traditional agency partners on beverage brands are conspicuously absent.

Euro Replaces Digitas as IBM's Global Digital Agency

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:06:44 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- IBM is shifting global digital duties on its $1.25 billion ad account to Havas' Euro RSCG from Publicis Groupe's Digitas, the tech giant's lead digital agency for more than a decade.

BBDO Signals End to Chrysler Relationship, Its Detroit Office

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:51:32 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In a sign that the end of Chrysler's relationship with BBDO is near, executives familiar with the situation said BBDO's Detroit office will close its doors in January, leaving the fate of its remaining 485 employees up in the air.

New Insurance Policies Help Agencies Control Ad-Production Costs

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:35:20 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Dianne Richter, an ad agency veteran who's clocked time in the broadcast departments of shops such as JWT, Y&R and Saatchi & Saatchi, found herself on a nightmare of a commercial shoot a few years ago. While driving to location, police had blocked the production team's route for several hours after a suicide jumper perched himself on a bridge. Quick thinking saved the commercial, but those last-minute changes came at a steep cost to the client. Now broader protections for shoots are being offered under recent changes in the U.S. insurance market.

Hyundai-Kia Taps Havas' MPG for International Media Duties

mbush@adage.com(Michael Bush) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:04:22 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Hyundai-Kia has awarded a big chunk of international media buying business to Havas' MPG, according to executives with knowledge of the review.

McCann Out of Running for Cadillac Account

jhalliday@adage.com(Jean Halliday) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:32:56 -0500

DETROIT (AdAge.com) -- Cadillac has narrowed the list of agencies in the hunt for its national creative account, and McCann Erickson has not made the cut.

Ikea Begins Creative Review to Integrate General Market With Hispanic

nzmuda@adage.com(Natalie Zmuda) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:20:51 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Swedish furniture retailer Ikea, nearing completion of a media agency review, is now examining its creative roster of U.S. agencies in what it calls a move towards "integration of general market and Hispanic creative."

Panasonic Calls Review for $40 Million Advertising Account

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:33:48 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Embattled electronics marketer Panasonic is reviewing U.S. ad duties on its estimated $40 million account, currently handled by Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners in New York, executives familiar with the matter said.

Holiday Inn Puts Global Advertising Account Into Review

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:36:37 -0500

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Holiday Inn is conducting a review of its global creative advertising account, and four networks will make final presentations in a bid for the hotel chain's business next month, executives familiar with the matter said. They are: Omnicom Group's DDB; WPP's JWT; Publicis Groupe's Saatchi-Fallon Group; and Interpublic Group of Cos.' McCann Erickson.

Kellogg Consolidation Hands Major Brand-Building Work to Burnett

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:48:00 -0500

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Kellogg Co. has trimmed the global agency roster on its $1 billion account, consolidating "brand building" under Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett in North America, Europe and Latin America.

Carlson Marketing Sold to Groupe Aeroplan for $175 Million

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:46:29 -0500

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Minneapolis marketing-services giant Carlson Marketing has been sold to Montreal-based Groupe Aeroplan, merging the two top global companies in the loyalty-marketing category.