NEW YORK Delta Air Lines today confirmed it would shift creative duties to SS+K here from Ogilvy & Mather, effective in 90 days.
“It’s all part of our continuing restructuring,” according to client representative Andy McDill. “We want to market Delta differently,” he said.
Delta has also dropped the “Good goes around” tagline the New York-based WPP Group shop unveiled in early 2005, McDill said.
An Ogilvy representative described the split as a “mutual” decision, but did not elaborate [Adweek Online, April 12].
In an e-mail to Ogilvy’s staff, North American co-CEO Bill Gray suggested the split was driven in part by financial considerations. “We understand their need to take tightening measures as a result of their financial condition,” Gray wrote. He added: “Many people in all areas of the agency have worked extremely hard to help the Delta brand. You should take a bow and feel proud.”
Media chores for the Atlanta-based carrier remain at WPP’s MindShare.
The move to independent SS+K, which has worked for Delta’s Song airline, comes two weeks after Delta’s chief marketing officer, Paul Matsen, left the company.
Delta folded Song in October as part of a Chapter 11 reorganization plan designed to slash costs. At the time, Song president Joanne Smith became vice president of consumer marketing at Delta.
Smith could not be reached and SS+K did not return calls.
Delta spent nearly $50 million in measured media on its namesake brand last year, up from $25 million in 2004, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
WPP Group’s Ogilvy won the business in October 2004, after a pitch that included Omnicom Group’s BBDO, Interpublic Group’s Lowe and WPP’s JWT. (Matsen managed that review.)
Ogilvy’s first Delta work featured Delta employees and touted a SimpliFares program and a renewed emphasis on customer service.
At the time of Matsen’s exit Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein said in a staff memo that the CMO’s duties had shifted to chief operating officer Jim Whitehurst [Adweek Online, March 30].
This story updates an item posted on April 12 with Delta’s confirmation of the shift to SS+K and additional details.
Delta Shifts Creative to SS+K
