After we reported on Intel adding DDB to its agency roster last week, things still seemed a little vague in terms of what the relationship between the two exactly entailed (due in part to lack of initial feedback). Well, the veil’s been lifted a bit this week and we just spoke directly to Intel, which indeed confirms that Tribal DDB (particularly its San Francisco office) will take the lead on Intel’s master brand account that includes the “Sponsors of Tomorrow” work (good on ya, tipsters). A spokesperson for the brand tells us that Tribal “won out because their breakthrough ideas for the next iteration of the campaign,” which Intel says will break in the second-half of this year.
As for Venables Bell & Partners, the SF shop is still on Intel’s agency list, is working on “several sweet areas” for the brand and has a “sizable portion of the pie.” The Intel spokesperson refers back to the company’s “open-source” agency model, saying, “It allows us to be flexible and engage with a number of partners. It would not be unusual to have [Venables], Tribal, Razorfish and MRM in the same conference room discussing a campaign or project and whoever shines brightest might get the nod.”