Adidas Golf has selected Venables Bell & Partners as its new lead creative agency following a review, Adweek reports. Incumbent Kastner & Partners were one of the six finalists in the review, which included ten agencies total. Media buying and planning were not part of the review and remain with Carat. Adidas Golf spent approximately $45 million on measured media last year, according to Kantar Media.
Kastner & Partners had worked with the brand for over three years, recently changing its approach to highlight golf as “as a sport with athletes of the highest caliber,” according to chief creative officer Jamie Riley. Riley joined Kastner & Partners from 72andSunny last September and we spoke to him about the agency’s recent campaign for Adidas Golf in February. The following month, however, it was revealed that he was leaving the agency, along with managing director Richard Turner.
Melissa Ziegler, global brand marketing director for Adidas Golf, told Adweek the brand’s shift in approach was the impetus for the review, saying, “We are shifting to be more aligned with the Adidas brand and the idea that golf is a sport, and golfers are athletes. So, we wanted to find a new agency partner that could really help us bring that to life.”