More Auto Focus At Saatchi in SoCal

With 3 new hires, L.A. office drops pursuit of local business

When local retailer Barbecues Galore launched a review in February for its $5 million account, Saatchi & Saatchi showed up to pitch—and lost to a tiny shop named Woo Advertising.

In Los Angeles, the nation’s No. 2 market, even the big agencies often chase little fish. But while Saatchi’s office here has tried in fits and starts to extend its roster beyond flagship Toyota’s $625 million U.S.