MindShare wins £400m Gillette

Gillette has handed its $600m (£400m) global media planning and buying account to MindShare, after pitching against the two incumbents OMD and Universal McCann.

WPP Group-owned MindShare was invited to pitch because of Gillette’s relationship with sister creative agency Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) (MW June 20).

Omnicom’s OMD handled Gillette in Europe as well as in the North American markets. The rest of the world was handled by Interpublic’s Universal McCann.

The media review has been on the cards since the summer, when Gillette chief executive and chairman James Kilts signaled his intention to examine all the company’s relationships with “third-party suppliers”.

The decision to appoint MindShare to handle global media does not affect the shaving and personal care company’s creative roster. This includes BBDO Worldwide, O&M, McCann-Erickson and Lowe.

Gillette recently promoted its former top European marketer, Ed Shirley, to senior vice-president of the global marketing services division (MW August 15). The new arm provides centralised services to all business units, covering areas such as advertising, sponsorship, corporate marketing programmes, global consumers services and retail.

Shirley reports to Kilts. In the UK, he was replaced by Procter & Gamble marketer Edward Lonergan (MW April 18).