BOSTON Omnicom Group’s GSD&M Idea City in Austin, Texas, today confirmed adding Ace Hardware’s creative assignment following a review — though its status as one of two finalists in its defense of media chores on BMW remained unchanged Wednesday morning.
Ace spent $42 million on ads in 2008 (up from $30 million in ’07), per Nielsen. BMW spent close to $200 million and GSD&M is battling Interpublic Group’s Universal McCann in the final round.
For Ace, a multimedia push is planned in spring 2010, a GSD&M rep told Adweek.
The creative work had previously been with WPP Group-aligned Mars Advertising in Southfield, Mich. Media chores — which were not in play — remain at independent Horizon Media in New York.
Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace operates about 4,600 stores in the U.S. and overseas. Ace has locations in all 50 states.
The GSD&M rep said the shop could hear as soon as today about the conclusion of the BMW review. The agency already handles U.S. lead creative chores for the automaker and recently picked up global work as well. A worldwide push focused on the “Joy” of driving BMWs is planned. The client has suffered along with most other carmakers during the recession. All told, for the first four months of 2009, BMW said its flagship brand sales slumped 22 percent.
