Wendy’s appointed WPP-owned, Kansas City-based VML as its new creative agency of record without a review, Adweek reports.
VML takes over for Publicis, which had been Wendy’s creative agency of record since winning the account in the summer of 2009 following a review which included The Martin Agency, BBH, Venables Bell & Partners and incumbent KBS. VML then beat out four other agencies to score digital AOR duties in a 2012 review.
Now the agency will assume all creative responsibilities formerly handled by Publicis while collaborating with other agencies on Wendy’s roster including Bravo, Saatchi & Saatchi X, MediaVest and Ketchum.
Publicis New York and VML most recently produced a football-themed Wendy’s campaign (which is no longer available online) last December.
“VML has proven that it can tell the Wendy’s story in a modern and compelling way that drives winning business results,” Wendy’s chief concept and marketing officer, Kurt Kane said, in a statement. “By streamlining the creative process with VML, we believe our advertising and marketing disciplines will continue delivering strong results across our business while further setting our brand apart from the QSR [quick service restaurant] pack.”
“We are honored to be Wendy’s creative agency of record,” VML CEO Jon Cook told Adweek. “We’ve always held the same values and beliefs when it comes to how to create impactful messaging. There is no ‘digital’ marketing—only marketing. Our results together have proven out the value of thinking differently. We can’t wait for where our journey is going next.”