- David Gianatasio

NEW YORK Add Crown Imports to the growing list of big-spending clients seeking to stir up their media-agency relationships.

The company today said it would launch a review later this summer in an effort to consolidate buying and planning with a media-only agency for 2010. The assignment covers its Corona Light, Corona Extra, Model Especial, Pacifico and Negra Modelo brands.

Spending behind those offerings has been about $80 million in each of the last two years, per Nielsen. The ad outlay in the first four months of '09 is $12 million.

Chores have mainly been handled by Chicago-based independent shop Cramer-Krasselt. The client said C-K would continue to work on its assignments through year's end. Strategic and creative duties on Corona Extra will stay with C-K even after the media work shifts, the client said.

In a statement, C-K said: "We respect this decision and look forward to continued contribution to the brands we do work on." An agency rep added that no layoffs are expected at the 500-person shop.

C-K lost creative on Corona Light in June when Crown moved the work to Publicis in New York without a review.

Creature in Seattle handles media chores on Pacifico; that agency will retain creative chores, the client said.

The media agency landscape has been rocked all week by big account shifts and reviews. Also today, Unilever said it would review its global account. Previously, major players Bristol-Myers Squibb, Zurich Financial and LVMH chose new media agency partners.