5 Shops Pitch $200 Mil. Macy's Media

NEW YORK Macy’s, a unit of Federated Department Stores, is considering five contenders in the review for its estimated $200 million national media account, according to one of the consultancies overseeing the process.

Pursuing the business are: Publicis Groupe’s ZenithOptimedia and Starcom; Aegis Group’s Carat; Havas’ Media Planning Group; and Interpublic Group’s Initiative, per sources.

A sixth agency, Omnicom Group’s OMD, was invited to pitch but declined due to a conflict (J.C. Penney), sources said.

Though Macy’s spent $475 million on ads last year, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus, much of the client’s media spending will continue to be handled in-house, and the work in play is worth $200 million, said sources.

Sources