First USA Has $100 Mil. DM Task

Incumbent HHCC May Be Hamstrung By Clients Elsewhere
BOSTON–The nation’s top issuer of credit cards is shopping for a direct marketing agency to handle a new assignment that sources said could be worth $100-150 million.
First USA in Wilmington, Del., is seeking a shop to create direct marketing materials touting loan products to its enormous body of credit-card holders, sources said. Boston-based consultancy Pile and Co. was hired last week to manage the review.
First USA, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Bank One, is one of the leading providers of MasterCard and Visa cards.