Ford Expected to Move Land Rover to Y&R

Land Rover is expected to give 90-day notice to GSD&M within the next two weeks and move its $50 million account to Young & Rubicam, sources said.

GSD&M’s contract for Land Rover in North America extends to December 2003, but a “no-cut” clause ended on June 30. That means the Austin, Texas-based agency is now subject to a standard 90-day notification for termination [Adweek, Jan. 14]. When Ford Motor Co. purchased Land Rover from BMW in May 2000, the automaker agreed to honor the current contract with GSD&M, which won the business in March 2000.

Y&R handles the Land Rover account in the rest of the world.