Adidas picks TBWA and 180 to handle $100m account

Sportswear giant Adidas-Salomon has awarded its global creative account, worth an estimated $100m (&£69.26m), to TBWA Worldwide and Amsterdam-based agency 180. TBWA, part of the Omnicom Group, aligned with 180 – already one of the incumbent agencies – and is now expected to adapt its work for the global market.

The two agencies have knocked Leagas Delaney off the Adidas roster, which aligned with DDB Worldwide to pitch for the business. BBDO Worldwide, another Omnicom agency which handles Adidas in Australian and Asian markets, has also lost the business.

Adidas head of global brand concept and advertising Neil Simpson is believed to have handled the agency review.

It is understood that Adidas’s decision to appoint a global agency was driven by the need for more international cohesion and cost cutting.

Neither of Adidas’s roster agencies,180 and Leagas Delaney, have a broad global presence, which forced the sports goods company to work with almost 24 agencies on various projects.

The decision does not affect Carat International, which handles Adidas’s global media buying and planning.

Carat International won the $55m (&£38m) US account in August last year. The account was switched from Leagas Delaney, San Francisco, without a pitch.

Adidas declined to comment on the appointment of TBWA Worldwide as its global agency.