FCB Deal With AT&T Business Appears Unlikely

Time is running out on Foote, Cone & Belding’s contract with AT&T Business, and sources said it is unlikely that the deal will be renewed past its Dec. 31 deadline.

With the contract winding down, FCB had reached out to consultancy Wanamaker Associates with the hope of getting into BellSouth’s current review. Ultimately, FCB was rebuffed. A BellSouth official last week would not comment on FCB’s inquiries, but said the client has already settled on four other finalists.

Even though those overtures indicate that FCB may not be confident that it will retain AT&T, Jeff Tarakajian, president of the agency’s New York office, said, “FCB is committed to a relationship with AT&T Business today and in 2002.”

A client representative would only say, “We’re continuing to work with FCB.