Coty Brands Move to Laird

Coty has selected Laird + Partners to handle global creative duties on its Sally Hansen, La Cross and N.Y.C. New York Color brands, sources said.

The selection came after a review in which independent Mother and Interpublic Group’s Draftfcb were the other finalists. All of the finalists pitched from their offices in New York. Final presentations took place in December at Coty’s New York headquarters.

Coty and Laird, an independent agency, could not immediately be reached, and Ark Advisors, the New York consultancy that managed the search, did not return calls. But sources said contenders have been told of the decision.

Projected media spending on the account is estimated at $10-12 million, and the ad outlay is expected to grow as Coty shifts from a regional to global approach in marketing the brands.

Sally Hansen, a line of nail, lip, body-hair and foot-care products, was the focus of the review. La Cross competes in the beauty-tools space, and N.Y.C. New York Color is a brand of cosmetics.

Coty acquired the brands from Del Labs parent company DLI Holding in December 2007.

Interpublic’s Avrett Free Ginsberg in New York previously handled U.S. duties on the business. Avrett initially opted to defend, with help from global sibling Lowe, but exited in November.

Separately, Coty has been reviewing global media duties on all its brands, which represent roughly $285 million in worldwide media spending, according to sources. Omnicom Group’s OMD in New York, the U.S. incumbent on the business, is believed to be among the agencies participating in that pitch. The other contenders could not be ascertained.