Loss of $100m Jaguar global account adds to Y&R woes

by Sam Matthews,, Brand Republic 11-Feb-05, 09:10

LONDON - Young & Rubicam has been dealt another blow as Ford eliminated the WPP-owned incumbent agency from its six-strong $100m global (£54m) Jaguar shortlist just a day after it was revealed it had lost its $100m Sony account.

The news was not all bad for WPP. Y&R teamed with sister agency Berlin Cameron/Red Cell in New York to defend the business, but Ford picked Berlin Cameron on its own as a finalist.

Berlin Cameron will fight it out as one of the six shortlisted agencies that also include Havas's Euro RSCG, WPP's JWT in New York, MDC Partners' Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners in New York, as well as Leagas Delaney and M&C Saatchi.

Y&R held the account since 2001 after winning a pitch against sister agencies JWT and Ogilvy & Mather.

A slump in sales at Jaguar, which led to a decision to close the Browns Lane factory in Coventry, forced Ford to rethink its marketing efforts before the pitch was called last November.

The review is being handled by Roth Associates in New York and Agency Assesments International in London. A decision is expected to be announced by the end of March.

In addition to losing Jaguar, the New York-based Y&R lost the Sony electronics business after seven years yesterday.

It is believed that Sony was unhappy with the agency after John Partilla, who led the Sony Electronics account, left for a role at media giant Time Warner last year.

Industry insiders predict Publicis Groupe's Fallon will take over some of the business after working on the advertising duties across Europe.

To make matters worse for Y&R, it recently lost Burger King and Computer Associates International.

Earlier this year, Y&R New York axed 45 jobs due to lost business -- representing 10% of its Madison Avenue-based workforce.

Y&R and Jaguar could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.

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