Hasta La Creative!

Stanley Black & Decker has consolidated its digital advertising account with MDC Partners agency KBS following a review, AdAge reports. The company also appointed Acronym with search marketing responsibilities.

In addition to digital duties, the appointment also includes at least one current project for a direct-response TV ad, as well as elements of user experience, connected devices, product development and distribution strategies related to the company’s Atlanta-based digital accelerator program. The appointment also makes KBS the client’s primary agency, despite technically only being a digital assignment. While digital spending wasn’t disclosed, Stanley Black & Decker reported $102 million in advertising spending last year, with an additional $212 million spent on co-operative advertising with retailers.

In addition to the Stanley Black & Decker retail brands, the assignment encompasses “the professional Dewalt, Porter Cable, Bostitch and many other brands across healthcare services, commercial security, pipeline and infrastructure products and a large industrial-supply business that makes the fasteners that hold most cars and phones together,” according to AdAge.

“We realized these days that we need better talent and more consolidated effort,” Stanley Black & Decker vice president, corporate brand marketing Scott Bannell told the publication, citing the impetus for the review. He said the review, which included ten undisclosed agencies and two other finalists, ended with a unanimous committee decision to select KBS, which, he added, “is something that’s pretty rare.”

For KBS, the appointment follows the January departure of CCOs Dan Kelleher and Jonathan Mackler. The agency also officially picked up creative duties for Monster that same month, following rumors dating back to October that the company had selected KBS as its creative AOR. 

We’ve received confirmation that Jonathan Mackler, who’s spent the last five years at TBWA\Chiat\Day as a creative director, has parted ways with the agency. According to sources in the know, Mackler’s actual last day at the Omnicom-owned agency’s New York office was last Wednesday. During his time at Chiat NY as well as its sister network Being, Mackler, whose roots are in art direction, worked on several campaigns for various clients including Skittles, Wheat Thins and Jameson. No word yet on what’s next for Mackler, who’s also worked at the likes of BBDO, W+K and Martin Agency during his career, but we’ll update when we know more.

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