Photographer: Guenter Schiffmann/Bloomberg via Getty Images
BMW of North America has narrowed the field in its creative review.
The automaker is reviewing its general market and multicultural business. Still vying for the general market piece are The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., Gotham in New York, Grey West in San Francisco, Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners in New York, and Cundari in Toronto.
Grey, Kirshenbaum Bond and Cundari are roster shops, handling U.S. dealer ads, national project work, and Canadian ads, respectively. Both national and dealer advertising are in play, but Grey is pitching just the dealer segment. Total annual media spending is estimated at $160 million.
The finalists emerged from a field of seven contenders that BMW executives visited two weeks ago. The other two were Hill Holliday in Boston and The Kaplan Thaler Group in New York.
BMW’s multicultural business comprises ads directed at African-Americans, now handled by Matlock Advertising and Public Relations, and ads directed at Hispanics, at Bromley Communications. Both shops and one other that could not be ascertained remain in contention for the multicultural business.
Roth Associates in New York is managing the search, which BMW hopes to complete by late August.
