GM Goes to Starcom MediaVest
UPDATE: The $3.8 billion account, which includes interactive duties, previously belonged to Interpublic.
Starcom MediaVest Group has won General Motors’ estimated $3.8 billion regional and national U.S. media account. Interactive duties are included.
Media buying was previously handled by GM Mediaworks, an Interpublic division dedicated exclusively to the account. The assignment, put up for review this spring, includes national and local broadcast, print and non-traditional media. Interactive is classified as non-traditional.
The business will be handled by Starcom’s GM Planworks, a unit created in 2000 to support GM’s strategic media planning. Starcom MediaVest is a part of Publicis Groupe.
“GM put its U.S. media buying assignment up for review this spring in order to create a more streamlined and efficient unit with greater focus on innovative, strategic media buying,” said Betsy Lazar, general director of GM’s ad and media operations, in a statement. “We also are responding to changes in the media landscape and the dramatic growth in our dealer client base.”
GM said the transition would be complete by October.
Creative duties are unaffected. Each of GM’s brands has its own creative agency, though the largest share of its creative business is handled by Digitas.
