Motorola calls £83m media review in bid to consolidate
Motorola is reviewing its $150m (£83m) global media planning and buying account with a view to consolidating its roster.
The world’s second biggest mobile phone manufacturer wants to reduce the number of agencies on its global roster from nine to two. The mobile phone giant moved its US media planning and buying business into Carat from Universal McCann earlier this year and it is now reviewing its agency relationships in Europe; the Middle East and Africa; Latin America; and Asia.
It is believed that Carat, MindShare, Starcom and Universal McCann are involved in the pitch. The UK incumbent is Universal McCann. A spokeswoman in the US confirms Motorola has started contacting agencies about the review, which she says is part of the “overall global marketing optimisation initiative” taking place at the company.
The news comes just a month after Motorola appointed Netherlands-based 180 Amsterdam as the lead creative agency for its European advertising business (MW May 12).
It is still unclear where that decision leaves Ogilvy & Mather, which has been Motorola’s main global agency since 2000, although the spokeswoman says O&M is still the company’s agency of record.
O&M Worldwide snatched the consolidated global account from fellow roster agencies McCann Erickson Worldwide and Leo Burnett (MW September 21, 2000).
Motorola’s advertising account was worth about $400m (£221m) when O&M was appointed in 2000, but just six months later it announced it was reducing its advertising budget by about $250m (£138m).
