LOS ANGELES -- Seven media agencies are contending for weight-loss chain Jenny Craig's $25 million media planning and buying account. Contenders include: Horizon Media, MindShare, KSL Media and incumbent Carat, all Los Angeles; Initiative Media, San Diego; Starcom, San Francisco; and Mediaspot, Corona del Mar, Calif. Handling creative is Johnson/Ukropina, Irvine, Calif.
Next week the list will be cut to four finalists, who will be given project assignments, said Patty Loessberg, director of advertising for the La Jolla, Calif. retailer. A decision is expected by the end of this month.
Jenny Craig, which operates more than 650 weight-loss centers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico, launched the review last month [Adweek, May 21].