By now, thanks to AdAge jumping the gun, you’ve probably heard that MDC-owned, New York/San Diego-based shop Vitro has won AOR duties for Verizon’s potential Netflix competitor, Redbox Instant. It’s a story we have all been sitting on for months but it wasn’t until yesterday that the Vitro camp was given clearance to announce the news. The agency, tells us that they will indeed lead creative strategy, and all digital, social, experiential and traditional advertising executions while working with Redbox Instant CMO Amy Gibby and CEO Shawn Strickland.
From what we hear, due to a conflict of interest, Vitro pulled out of the Optimum pitch that included Mother and Anomaly (Mother eventually won) in order to compete for Redbox Instant. According to sources familiar with the matter, in regards to the RBI pitch, Vitro beat out the likes of Draftfcb, Euro RSCG, Ogilvy, Campbell-Ewald and possibly McCann (we’re checking on this, but a tipster adds that it was McCann’s “account to lose”).
The first work from Vitro for Redbox Instant by Verizon will coincide with the service’s launch later this year.