The client is in no rush to confirm rumors, but we hear that Sherwin-Williams–currently playing the role of market leader in “the coatings industry”–will review its larger creative account. The business has been with McKinney since 2008, when the Durham shop beat Carmichael Lynch for the win.
The client’s last major ad, “Emerald,” launched six months ago; it was created by McKinney in collaboration with animation/3D production company Psyop, and it was much more abstract than your average house paint campaign.
Regarding our query, McKinney declined to comment and a client spokesperson wrote:
“Sherwin-Williams does not respond to speculation and we have nothing further to share at this time.”
The paint brand also didn’t confirm its last agency change, which took place in November 2014 when it awarded the Diversified Brands Division of product lines with names like Krylon, Minwax and Purdy to Deutsch New York. The company announced that win, which primarily concerned BTL work, two days after we posted it in a press release. (Since McKinney had not worked on this part of the business, the change did not affect the client’s relationship with its AOR.)
Sherwin-Williams spent about $60 million on measured media in 2013 according to Kantar Media.