Estée's Residence at JWT May Be Temporary Housing

After WPP Group bought Cordiant Communications Group and divvied up the company’s business among its own shops, the Estée Lauder account was parked at J. Walter Thompson. But since its relocation from Bates in September, the client has been quietly shopping for a permanent home.

Four New York-based agencies, including JWT, are pitching the $120 million business; the others are WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather, Interpublic Group’s Lowe and a unit of Omnicom Group’s TBWA (believed to be Brand Architecture International), a client rep confirmed.

Bates in New York primarily handled media planning and buying, but the company is said to be open to ideas on brand strategy, according to sources.