Advertising Roundup: Mini in Review; Home Depot Eyes Media; Coke Sued on Vitaminwater; More ...
Mini calls global review — WCRS, which has been the UK agency of record for the last 8 years, has not been tapped to participate. [Source: AgencySpy]
Publicis buys Bulgarian agency — Communications chain Publicis MARC Group owner Nikolai Nedelchev said he will sell his majority stake in the company to its global partner, Publicis Worldwide. Publicis Worldwide executive director Richard Pinder, said that the strengthening ties between the two firms are part of Publicis’ long-term interests in Bulgaria and the region. The deal’s price tag was not disclosed. [Source: Sofia Echo]
Home Depot reviews media — The Home Depot has officially launched a review for its $580 million media account.
Jean Niemi, spokeswoman for Home Depot, said all four of the retailer’s incumbent agencies will be defending their portions of the media business, including Interpublic Group of Cos.’ Initiative (main media-planning and -buying), NSA/IMS (newspaper), ResponseMine (search) and Publicis Groupe’s Digitas (online media planning and buying). [Source: Ad Age]
CSPI sues Coke Over Vitaminwater claims — The brand’s marketing claims the products can, among other things, reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote healthy joints. The health advocacy group feels the drink is more likely to do harm than good, considering the 33 grams of sugar. The marketing of Vitaminwater “is truly an irresponsible act by Coca-Cola. They know it is flavored snake oil,” the group said. [Source: Brandweek]
New CEO at Havas Digital — Don Epperson, the longtime CEO of Havas Digital, will exit at month’s end and be replaced by two co-CEOs: Gabriel Saenz de Buruaga and Anthony Rhind, both Havas Digital veterans. [Source: Adweek]
BBDO wins back Jeep — Chrysler today said it has returned creative for its Jeep vehicles to Omnicom Group’s BBDO in Detroit. For the past two years, the work was handled by Cutwater, an Omnicom agency in San Francisco. [Source: Brandweek]
Goodby gets Denny’s — Denny’s is looking to score a touchdown with its 2009 advertising, moving its account to Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and developing its first Super Bowl ad. The account move could signal an increase in ad spending for the restaurant chain, which according to TNS Media Intelligence spent $63 million in measured media in 2007. [Source: Ad Age]
Jim Edwards, a former managing editor of Adweek, has covered drug marketing at Brandweek for four years, and is a former Knight-Bagehot fellow at Columbia University's business and journalism schools. Follow him on Twitter or send him an email.
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