Starcom wins Sun $100m media

Starcom MediaVest’s Chicago office has picked up the $100m (&£69m) global media buying account for software firm Sun Microsystems.

Starcom beat Aegis-owned Carat and WPP Group’s Mediaedge:CIA to the account after a six-week pitch.

Initiative Media North America, which had held the account since February 2001, decided not to repitch for the business, according to a Sun UK spokesman.

Starcom takes over the account immediately, and will start planning media for 2003. In the UK, Sun’s media buying is understood to be worth around &£3m.

Sun Microsystems director of global advertising Karen Becker says: “Media is a critical factor in an competitive business environment. We wanted to use the strength of a single global media agency.”

Sun’s Creative advertising is co-ordinated globally by Tonic360 @ JWT, a specialist group within JWT, which won the account in February 2001.