hotline

Clow Tapped as Chairman of TBWA Worldwide
NEW YORK–Lee Clow, chairman of TBWA/Chiat/Day and chief creative officer of TBWA Worldwide, will be named chairman of the agency network this week, sources said. He replaces co-founder Bill Tragos, who retired.
3 Shops in Final Hunt for Bank One
ATLANTA–At least three New York agencies have advanced to the final round of the review for Bank One’s $60 million account, sources said. They are: D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Deutsch and TBWA/Chiat/Day. The account had been with The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va. Bank One officials did not return calls at press time.
APL Digital President Departs
NEW YORK–Brian Cauley, president of APL Digital, is leaving the shop. Sources said there were philosophical differences between Cauley and other top APL managers over the direction of the unit. In an internal memo, APL worldwide CEO Martin Puris said the agency is committed to the digital arena and needs to be “smarter and more aggressive” about leveraging existing client relationships. A search is under way for a new president.
Lowe Launches Swan Song for Mercedes
NEW YORK–Lowe & Partners/SMS’ last hurrah for Mercedes-Benz includes one spot featuring the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Jackie Robinson who are identified with generic labels such as “a writer” and “a ballplayer.” The new 2000 S-Class then appears sans description. Copy explains: “Sometimes words can be hopelessly inadequate.” Another uses computer animation to show artists such as Picasso and Dali assembling cars in a factory. It ends with a single word of copy: “art.” The account is shifting to Merkley Newman Harty.
Toys ‘R’ Us Expected to Draw Up Short List
NEW YORK–Toys ‘R’ Us is expected to select three finalists for its $50-75 million ad account by the end of this week, sources said. Three new contenders emerged in the review: Ammirati Puris Lintas, New York, TBWA/Chiat/Day, Playa del Rey, Calif., and Western Initiative Media Worldwide in Los Angeles. Previously identified were the two New York incumbents, The Kaplan Thaler Group and Quantum Media International, Doner in Southfield, Mich., Leo Burnett in Chicago, and New York shops Bozell Worldwide, Deutsch, The Media Edge, and Saatchi & Saatchi.
Account Activity
Saatchi & Saatchi has been fired from the New Zealand Tourism business in the wake of a political scandal involving worldwide CEO Kevin Roberts and prime minister Jenny Shipley, a friend who had been accused of providing the agency with a sweetheart deal [Adweek, March 8] Business software supplier Siebel Systems of San Mateo, Calif., has expanded its agency search to include East Coast shops for its $20-30 million account Einstein Bros. Bagels is contacting East and West coast agencies to pitch its estimated $5-8 million account, said sources. There is no incumbent.