PNC Bank Narrows Field in $100 Mil. Review

NEW YORK PNC Bank has narrowed the field to about a half-dozen agencies in its estimated $100 million creative and media review, sources said.

The shops include WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather here; Omnicom Group units TBWA\Chiat\Day and Merkley + Partners, both in New York; Interpublic Group's Deutsch in New York and Campbell Mithun in Minneapolis; and possibly one or two others, according to sources.

Since 2007, Campbell Mithun has handled creative and media duties on National City bank, which PNC acquired for $5.58 billion in December. The incumbent on PNC -- independent Doner in Southfield, Mich. -- was invited to participate but declined, said Doner CEO Alan Kalter.

Doner, which had handled creative and media duties on PNC since 2001, "is proud of the work we've done. The work we did helped create brand value that allowed them to be an acquirer rather than acquired," Kalter said. Referring to the bank's executives, he added: "We wish them all well."

The other agencies either declined to comment or didn't return calls. The client also had no comment.

The contenders, which emerged from a larger pack of shops that replied to PNC's request for information, will next meet with client executives at PNC's headquarters in Pittsburgh. Those meetings are scheduled for the week of April 6.

Based on those visits, PNC is expected to select four finalists to pitch the business. Final presentations are slated for late May. The Bedford Group in Atlanta is managing the process.

Among the key decision makers in the review are chief marketing officer Karen Larrimer, a PNC veteran who assumed that role last summer, and director of corporate marketing Mark Hendrix, who joined the bank about three years ago.
After the National City deal, PNC became the country's fifth-largest bank by deposits. Beyond retail banking, PNC also offers asset management, corporate and institutional banking and global investment services.

PNC serves about 6 million individuals and small businesses in 13 states and the District of Columbia, according to PNC.com. The bank operates some 2,600 branches and 6,000 ATM machines.

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