SAN FRANCISCO-It's a busy time for online health and beauty product firms, many of which are recruiting shops to help them advertise offline.
Selfcare is extending by at least a month the review for its estimated $20-25 million account, and has retained consultancy Select Resources International to handle the process.
Sources said the client, a retailer of products to enhance health, beauty and well-being, had been in final negotiations with Gardner, Geary, Coll & Young, San Francisco, an original contender for the business.
However, sources said the Emeryville, Calif.-based company had second thoughts about that decision, and was concerned it had moved too quickly through the process without outside consultation.
GGC&Y dropped out of the pitch, said sources, as agency executives were unhappy the client brought in SRI, Los Angeles, after final negotiations were under way.
The finalists remaining in the Selfcare review are J. Walter Thompson, Hoffman/Lewis and Amazon Advertising, all in San Francisco, according to Catherine Bension, SRI managing partner. A decision is expected in mid-June.
Separately, GGC&Y has already picked up another client in the category, Greentree.com. The agency won the estimated $20 million-plus account following a review that included some undisclosed Bay Area shops, according to sources. Executives with GGC&Y declined to comment.
Greentree.com sells products such as vitamins, diet formulas and homeopathic remedies, and also provides information about health and wellness through its e-commerce site.
GGC&Y will create a national branding campaign for Greentree.com later this year that will most likely include TV, print and radio executions.
Separately, sources said GGC&Y picked up advertising duties for three Bay Area restaurants: Napa Valley Grill, California Cafe and the Alcatraz Brewing Co. Billings were not disclosed. ƒ