Smith Barney Talks to Shops

NEW YORK Smith Barney, nine months after hiring Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, is talking to other agencies about creative and media duties on its estimated $20 million account, sources said.

The search was triggered by what Smith Barney perceives to be a conflict caused by Hill, Holliday taking on the global wealth and investment management division of Bank of America in January, said sources.

And, although the accounts are handled by different offices of the Interpublic Group shop—BofA in Boston, Smith Barney in New York—the client remains uncomfortable.