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Burnett Wins Diageo Unit's $80 Mil. in Media CHICAGO--Diageo PLC has named Leo Burnett's Starcom Media Services unit as the U.S. media planning and buying agency for its United Distillers and Vintners arm and as print buyer on Pillsbury, bringing its total billings from the client to $150 million. Diageo roster shops Young & Rubicam and J. Walter Thompson, both New York, were the other contenders. Starcom continues as media buyer for Diageo's Schieffelin & Somerset division. MacManus Group's TeleVest buys broadcast media for Pillsbury. Publicis Absorbing U.S. Division CHICAGO--Publicis SA in Paris said it will absorb its U.S. unit, Publicis Communication. The stock swap leaves True North Communications here with an 8.8 percent stake in the parent rather than its current 26.3 percent of the U.S. unit. TN on Friday said the Publicis plan "enables us to take the final step of unwinding" from Publicis SA and "to liquidate our position with Publicis Communication." Under the separation agreement the two companies signed last year, TN can sell its stake in Publicis after Dec. 31, and is expected to do so. JWT Bows Campaign for U.S. Marines ATLANTA--The U.S. Marine Corps is breaking its first new television spot in more than three years. The spot was created by J. Walter Thompson here, which has held the business for 52 years. "Rite of Passage" shows a young man in a medieval-style arena meeting several physical challenges before slaying a monster and morphing into a Marine. JWT has also crafted print, direct mail and interactive efforts. Interpublic Acquires Direct Shop Gillespie NEW YORK--The Interpublic Group of Cos. has acquired Gillespie, the $140 million, Lawrenceville, N.J., direct marketing shop, as expected [Adweek, Oct. 19]. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but sources estimated the purchase price at $20 million. Gillespie will operate separately, reporting into McCann-Erickson WorldGroup as a part of McCann Relationship Marketing Worldwide. Account Activity The National Ski Areas Association selected Leagas Delaney, San Francisco, partnering with The Mandala Agency, Bend, Ore., to handle creative duties on its estimated $20 million account. Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco; McCann-Erickson, New York; and D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Troy, Mich., were the other finalists McCann-Erickson's Momentum IMC promotion unit in New York resigned AT&T to take on the estimated $4 million Sprint account Five agencies named last week as finalists in the review for Porsche Cars North America's estimated $15 million account will bid to launch and position its first sport utility vehicle. Leagas Delaney, San Francisco; Kowloon Wholesale Seafood Co., Santa Monica, Calif.; Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis; WestWayne, Atlanta; and The Richards Group, Dallas, are set to make final presentations in February.

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