Audi hands $100m US ad account to Venables Bell

by Staff, Brand Republic 22-Dec-06, 10:45

NEW YORK - Audi has awarded its $100m (£51m) US advertising account to independent agency Venables Bell & Partners following a four-way pitch.

The five-year-old San Francisco-based agency saw off competition from Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York, and the incumbent agency McKinney & Silver. Fallon Minneapolis had been involved in the early stages of the pitch but pulled out in November after the first round.

Audi's account had been with McKinney since 1993. The review was called soon after the arrival of Scott Keogh at Audi as its first chief marketing officer in May.

The car manufacturer's media planning and buying account was unaffected by the review and remains with WPP's MediaCom.

Paul Venables, co-creative director and co-founder of Venables Bell, said the agency "would use all media and the brave new marketing world in every way to surprise and delight potential customers".

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