- Andrew McMains

Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners has exited the $275 million Pizza Hut creative review just a day before the MDC Partners shop was scheduled to have a work session with client executives.

Agency CEO Lori Senecal (shown) attributed the exit to a need to focus on new and existing clients. "We need to staff up and onboard our great new Vanguard account and continue to deliver outstanding service to all of our existing clients," said Senecal, in a statement.

The agency landed Vanguard Group's creative and media account last month after a review.

Vanguard's major media spending -- excluding online outlays -- totaled more than $30 million last year, according to Nielsen.
 
The shop notified Pizza Hut of its move on Wednesday, one day before the planned work session, said sources. Pizza Hut had no immediate comment.

Client execs, meanwhile, are holding work sessions with the remaining four contenders this week, according to sources. Pizza Hut previously identified its other finalists as Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi in New York, Interpublic Group units Gotham in New York and The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., and Omnicom Group's Merkley + Partners in New York.

Agency presentations are slated for late November and early December and the client hopes to select an agency next month. Lee Anne Morgan & Partners in New York is managing the process, with help from Alan Krinsky.

The winner will succeed Omnicom's BBDO in New York, which has held the account for 22 years.