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Weight Watchers Kicks Off Creative, Media ReviewBoston Weight Watchers International is holding a review for its integrated marketing business, which includes creative and media chores, according to consultancy Pile and Co. in Boston. Pile is sifting through data on an undisclosed number of New York agencies and plans to have a list of six semifinalists mid-month, with a final decision coming in late November, a Pile rep said. IPG's Lowe in New York handles media. The Seiden Group in New York, crafted a campaign for Weight Watchers in 2003. It is unclear if Seiden is the creative incumbent or if it will participate in the review. Lowe plans to defend, the consultant said. Representatives at Lowe and Seiden could not be reached. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has served as the client's most visible spokesperson and has occasionally appeared in ads. The Woodbury, N.Y.-based client spent $45 million on ads last year and $25 million through the first half of 2004, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Chase Consolidates Media Following Creative Shiftnew york JPMorgan Chase has consolidated media duties for its retail and card services at Carat in New York following the company's merger with BankOne, said Manning Field, first vp of brand management at Chase Card Services. Carat, which had handled media for BankOne, was selected over Chase's former media buying shop, IPG's Initiative Media in New York, without a review, said Field. The client selected New York independent mcgarrybowen for creative duties last week. Billings are estimated at $300 million.GM Europe Opens Door to $700 Mil. Media BusinessNEW YORK General Motors' estimated $700 million European media buying and planning operations are in review, confirmed Tony Cervone, vice president of communications for GM's European operations. He said the review will be conducted by Jonathan Browning, vice president of sales and marketing for GM in Europe. "We're doing a review in an effort to consolidate the ad buying for all of GM in Europe," said Cervone. He would not comment on whether the review will be expanded beyond the three agencies that currently handle most of GM's European media buying: Aegis' Carat and IPG's Universal McCann and Initiative Media. The move comes after GM Europe reported a loss of $45 million in the second quarter of 2004, compared with a loss of $3 million one year ago. GM's European market share in Europe rose to 9.8 percent in the second quarter of 2004 from 9.4 percent last year. Delta to Coach Contenders Before Final PresentationsCHICAGO Finalists for Delta Air Lines' $20 million account will meet with executives from the carrier this week to review strategies and creative ideas before presentations slated for the last week of September, sources said. The meetings will take place at the contending agencies, which are: Omnicom's BBDO in New York and Atlanta; WPP's J. Walter Thompson and Ogilvy & Mather in New York; and IPG's Lowe in New York. BBDO, JWT and Ogilvy are pitching in tandem with their sibling media companies, Omnicom's OMD and WPP's MindShare. Lowe is also pursuing media. Already eliminated were the incumbents, independent Brighthouse in Atlanta and Publicis' Starcom in Chicago. The review is being coordinated by Rojek Consulting Group in Cleveland and New York. Army Considers Half-Dozen Shops for $180 Mil. AccountCHICAGO Six agencies continue to vie for the U.S. Army's $180 million ad account, sources said. They are Publicis' Leo Burnett in Chicago (the incumbent), Omnicom's BBDO in New York and Atlanta, Grey in New York, IPG's McCann-Erickson in New York and WPP's Ogilvy & Mather and Young & Rubicam, both in New York, sources said. Agency executives either declined comment or referred calls to the client. An Army rep declined to confirm participants, but said a decision is due before the end of the year. Jones Lundin Beals in Chicago also declined comment. Burnett has handled the business since 1999 and created the current "Army of one" campaign. Burnett's contract, set to expire in June, has been extended to accommodate the mandatory review, which was late in getting started.

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