Call Waiting: SBC, Ameritech Merger Could Result In More Creative, Media Consolidations

CHICAGO – Consolidation of advertising and media responsibilities appears likely if SBC Communications’ acquisition of Ameritech is approved, but it’s too early to tell how things might shake out, according to officials close to the situation.
San Antonio, Texas-based SBC will be making the calls if its $62 billion acquisition of Ameritech is approved by the federal government, and that could mean a stripped-down agency roster. SBC’s purchase of Pacific Telesis last year resulted in a number of agency consolidations.
Approval will take at least a year, and for now it’s business as usual for the SBC and Ameritech agencies, representatives of the companies said.
GSD&M in Austin, Texas, benefitted the most from SBC’s 1997 acquisition of PacTel.