- Andrew McMains

Johnson & Johnson has narrowed the field in its review of creative and media planning duties on its Tylenol brand, eliminating Omnicom Group units Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and DDB after a round of chemistry and credentials meetings, sources said.

At least three agencies remain in contention: Omnicom's TBWA\Chiat\Day in New York and Interpublic Group units The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., and Deutsch in New York, according to sources. Deutsch has held the business since 2003.

The shops have been briefed and final presentations are slated for mid-January, sources said. In addition, client executives have planned at least one work session with each agency between now and then.

The agencies declined to comment and referred calls to the client, where reps did not respond to requests for comment.

The review also includes J&J's Motrin brand. Collectively, Tylenol and Motrin spent $168 million in major measured media last year and $102 million in the first three quarters of 2009, according to Nielsen. All but $6 million of last year's outlay and $1 million of this year's spend through September supported Tylenol. Those figures don't include online spending.

J&J confirmed the review two weeks ago, without identifying the participants.

Media buying duties are not in play and remain at IPG's Universal McCann in New York.

--with Eleftheria Parpis