Nestlé Launches Review to Consolidate Its $633 Million North American Ad Business

In an apparent cost-cutting effort, Nestl? recently launched a review to consolidate its entire North American advertising business with just four to six agencies, several sources have confirmed to Adweek. While the precise scope of the review is currently unclear, it does include creative and digital duties across some of Nestl?’s largest brands, according to…

Frontier Communications Sends Creative and Media Accounts to Hill Holliday and Trilia

Telecom provider Frontier Communications has handed its advertising account to Boston-based IPG creative shop Hill Holliday and its media arm, Trilia, after a lengthy competitive review that started last June. Search consultancy Roth Ryan Hayes managed the review. In a push toward integration, Hill Holliday and Trilia will oversee all creative and media duties, according…

Ford Launches Global Creative Review in Major Setback for WPP

WPP faces another significant hurdle less than a week after the departure of CEO Martin Sorrell as one of its biggest clients, Ford, has launched a global creative review. GTB, formerly known as Global Team Blue, is the Detroit division dedicated to handling Ford’s marketing business. A spokesperson for WPP referred to that organization, which…

Dunkin’ Donuts Names BBDO and Arc Worldwide as Brand’s New Creative Agency Partners

Several months after launching its first creative review in almost 20 years, Dunkin’ Donuts has chosen BBDO and Arc Worldwide as its newest creative agency partners. Omnicom’s BBDO will be the chain’s agency of record, while Arc–part of the Leo Burnett organization–handles in-store marketing. BBDO will be tasked with handling all digital and multicultural marketing…

Macy’s Launches a Review of Its $500 Million U.S. Media Business

Retail giant Macy’s recently issued an RFI for its U.S. media planning and buying business, a spokesperson confirmed today. “Macy’s is conducting a review of its media account currently handled by Carat as part of normal practice to review agencies after five years,” the representative said. Joanne Davis Consulting is managing the review, according to…

Creative Agency Wongdoody Acquired by Indian IT Giant Infosys for $75 Million

Infosys wants in on the Accenture equation. Today, the IT giant announced that it has agreed to acquire 25-year-old Seattle-based creative agency Wongdoody. While the press release did not disclose specifics of the deal, reports from India, where Infosys is headquartered, listed its total value at $75 million including contingent consideration and retention payouts to…

Dentsu Aegis Network Wins Global Gore-Tex Media Review

W.L. Gore & Associates announced today it has consolidated its global media account for its fabric division, behind Gore-Tex outerwear threads, with Dentsu Aegis Network following a review that launched late last year and was handled by consultancy Flock Associates. Dentsu’s Gravity, Carat and Amnet agencies will work with Gore-Tex–used in brand products from Adidas,…

PayPal Close to Wrapping Up 6-Month Global Creative Review

PayPal, the online money transfer company also behind social app Venmo, is said to be narrowing down on two finalists in a global creative review that spanned six months, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. One source told Adweek the two finalists are digital shops R/GA and AKQA. The review was launched…

Papa Murphy’s Sends $30 Million Creative Account to Mekanism

Take-and-bake pizza chain Papa Murphy’s selected San Francisco-based agency Mekanism as its agency of record, following a review. Seattle-based agency Wongdoody formerly served as Papa Murphy’s agency of record and launched the brand’s first national campaign last year. “We selected Mekanism because their unique creative ideas are designed to appeal to both our younger target…

P&G’s New Dedicated Agency Will Bring Together Talent From Agencies at Competing Holding Companies

P&G plans to break the model with a new agency model dedicated its North America Fabric Care business. “This is the next step of our agency reinvention activities where we are developing new models to get breakthrough creativity with greater speed and efficiency,” a P&G spokesperson told Adweek. “The Fabric Care model focuses on ‘people…

Charles Schwab Places Its $100 Million-Plus Media Account in Review

San Francisco-based bank and brokerage firm Charles Schwab has issued an RFI for its U.S. media business. This marks the company’s first formal media review since 2009, which saw UM San Francisco beat out Carat and incumbent PHD. “Schwab partners with some of the best agencies in the world to achieve our brand and marketing…

SharkNinja Sends Its $60 Million U.S. Media Account to UM

Home appliance brand SharkNinja has selected IPG Mediabrands’ UM to handle a large share of its U.S. media account following a review. “[UM’s] intense focus on balancing both the art and science of media is aligned with our growth objectives,” said SharkNinja senior director, global media analytics and DTC FP&A Ashley J. Eckerlin in a…

How Men’s Wearhouse Became a Bright Spot in the Declining Retail Space

Hundreds of traditional small and big-name retailers filed for bankruptcy last year, including Toys ‘R’ Us, Wet Seal, Payless ShoeSource and The Limited. As of Dec. 22, store closures in the U.S. increased 229 percent year-over-year to 6,985, according to Coresight Research. And yet–despite what some in the industry describe as a brick-and-mortar apocalypse fueled…

Barclays Investment Bank Launches Global Digital Agency Review

Barclays Investment Bank has launched a global review to add a “digital specialist” to its roster of agency partners, several sources told Adweek. One source said Barclays is looking to hone in on one specific area of digital specialization but did not elaborate on specifics regarding the search. A Barclays spokesperson declined to comment. Another…

U.S. Army Marketing Executive Involved in McCann Conflict of Interest Controversy Retires

James Ortiz, a marketing director at the U.S. Army’s Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG), has retired less than four months after Adweek broke news of an allegedly improper relationship between himself and an account executive at McCann Worldgroup, the Army’s agency of record. The relationship occurred while McCann pitched to retain the Army’s marketing…

Jack Link’s Names GSD&M as Agency of Record, Ending 13-Year Relationship With Carmichael Lynch

Sasquatch has a new agency partner. Jack Link’s named GSD&M as its new creative and strategic agency of record, following a review launched in February and conducted by agency search consulting firm Pile which initially included around 30 shops. Incumbent Carmichael Lynch declined to participate in the formal review process, opting instead to be judged…

Red Bull Hands North American Media Account to Starcom USA

Publicis Groupe’s Starcom USA announced it has won the media account of Red Bull North America, taking over planning, buying, search, social and programmatic duties for the energy drink brand from incumbent Carat following a review. “Red Bull is a cutting-edge brand with incredible vision and we are honored to be selected as their media…

Bud Light Consolidates $279 Million Social Media and Creative Account with Wieden+Kennedy

AB InBev is consolidating social media and creative duties for its top-selling Bud Light brand with Wieden+Kennedy. The agency’s New York office has handled creative for Bud Light since July of 2015, while Brooklyn-based Laundry Service formerly ran social media for the brand. “We have made the decision to consolidate our Bud Light social and…

Pizza Hut and Droga5 Part Ways After 2 Years As $227 Million Account Goes Into Review

The two-year relationship between Pizza Hut and its creative agency of record, Droga5, will end in June, Adweek confirmed today. “Pizza Hut and Droga5 have mutually agreed to part ways,” a Droga5 spokesperson said in a statement. “We are proud of the work produced together. The companies will continue to work together through June 2018.”…

J&J Moves to Cut Costs By Consolidating Creative Work With Dedicated Omnicom, WPP Divisions

Johnson & Johnson, one of advertising’s biggest spenders, has consolidated and streamlined its creative business with two dedicated teams of WPP and Omnicom agencies. This follows a closed review that was initiated to cut costs and adopt a new operating model, the Wall Street Journal reported this morning. News of the review was first published…