In the wake of its recent consolidation of PR roster agencies worldwide [WAMN: 10-Aug-01], IBM has finalized a like exercise among its direct marketing and new media shops.
There are two winners – both WPP-owned – Ogilvy One Worldwide and Wunderman, designated “global partners” for all direct and interactive duties. Billings were not revealed [irrelevant, anyway, for DM and e-activities] but the computer colossus is thought to spend around $250 million yearly in these sectors.
Seven roster shops slugged it out for place in the IBM sun. Among the five also-rans, one, Havas Advertising’s Brann Worldwide, is dropped from the roster; the others – AnswerThink, Ogilvy Interactive, Modem Media and FCB offshoot R/GA – will pick the crumbs (web strategy, design and production) from beneath the table of IBM offshoot IBM.com.
Explains Maureen McGuire, IBM’s vp for worldwide integrated marketing communications: “The move to this new agency model reflects IBM’s response to shifts in the business environment.”
News source: New York Times
