Chicago’sMcgarrybowen NY and McCann NY have fought it out for the Verizon Wireless business, which was in house at McCann with Mcgarrybowen handling the Droid launch, and if our sources are correct (there are many) Mcgarrybowen now calls Verizon their own. Most of it.
Word is McCann has officially lost the business, which could mean up to 25% 10% of the agency’s revenue — though that is not confirmed and seems a bit high.
McCann may retain the telecomm business (FIOS), though that too is said to be in review. The shop has two weeks to pull a rabbit from the hat.
There were indicators Mcgarrybowen would grab the business — from the successful Droid launch to their slate of successful pitches, theirs is the only shop in Chicago to watch these days. Recall that McCann recently lost Viagra to Mcgarry, too.
And then there’s Apple, which saw its all-time highest stock price after rumors leaked that the iPhone is finally coming to Verizon. The phone, which will use Verizon’s CDMA network, is a long time coming for Verizon customers frustrated by the company’s lackluster mobile offerings.
Facing the iPhone it’s no surprise Verizon would reconsider its branding options. Recently, McCann attempted to restructure in hopes of kick-starting their brand offering, which is not an uncommon practice for agencies. It is, however, a sign that change is needed.
Neither McCann nor Mcgarrybowen were available for comment.