-By Gregory Solman

LOS ANGELES Nvidia today confirmed that it has hired Omnicom Group's Cutwater for creative and media chores. Estimated billings are $30 million.
 
Derek Perez, director of communications for the Santa Clara, Calif.-based manufacturer of high-tech graphic cards and related technology, said the agency's first work would break in the second half of the year and include both business-to-business and business-to-consumer outreach.
 
The review was prompted by the company's need to communicate a shift from what Perez called "enterprise-oriented" computing -- such as the use of e-mail -- to "visual-based" computing, defined as graphics-rich applications such as games. There was no previous lead agency, with the work handled by various shops and freelancers on a project basis.
 
Perez predicted a combination of traditional and nontraditional work from the San Francisco shop: "[Cutwater] is a creative, small, fun group, with the ability to execute in both areas. They can come up with great ideas."
 
The business represents the first win for Cutwater since Walter Smith joined in March as agency president. In a statement, Smith characterized it as "significant...We are thrilled to be working with the company that pioneered visual computing. They have been remarkably successful to this point and all trends point to even great success."
 
CCO Chuck McBride said the agency had become more excited about Nvidia's offering the more they looked at the brand. "As we discovered firsthand, the world with Nvidia looks totally different than the world without it," he said.

Formed last year, Cutwater is best known as Jeep's lead creative resource.