$40 Mil. Midas Media Moves to Starcom

NEW YORK Midas, the auto service company, has awarded Publicis Groupe’s Starcom its media planning and buying account without a review, the client confirmed.

Midas spent $40 million in measured media in 2006, down from about $45 million the previous year, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

Aegis Group’s Carat was the incumbent on the account, which it had held since 1998.

Starcom officials could not be reached and Carat representatives declined comment.

Carat Trade, which buys ad time on a barter basis, has retained its duties, with estimated billings of $7 million, per sources.