Hotline

Taco Bell Rates Hispanic Shops
DALLAS–Taco Bell has begun reviewing its $5-6 million Hispanic advertising account following a split with Ornelas & Associates, Dallas. The shortlist of targeted agencies includes FCB, Costa Mesa, Calif., teaming with SiboneyUSA, New York; Dieste & Partners, Dallas; and Mendoza & Dillon, Newport Beach, Calif. The split with Ornelas was unrelated to Taco Bell’s current general market agency search.
Sizzler Selects Glass McClure
LOS ANGELES–Sizzler International awarded its $10 million account to Glass McClure Advertising, Sacramento, Calif., without a review. The agency will create a multimedia branding campaign for the restaurant chain, which is remodeling its stores ahead of a new positioning that is expected to break in the fourth quarter. Evans, Hardy & Young, Santa Barbara, Calif., was the incumbent.
Cliff Bar Narrows Search
LOS ANGELES–Clif Bar narrowed the search for its first agency of record to seven shops: Black Rocket, GMO/Hill, Holiday, Leagas Delaney and Lowe Lintas & Partners, all in San Francisco; Colby Effler & Partners, Santa Monica, Calif.; Team One Advertising, El Segundo, Calif.; and WongDoody, Los Angeles. The client markets energy and nutrition bars under the Clif Bar, Luna and Shot brand names. The company’s advertising budget is $5 million. AAR/Bob Wolf Partners, the Los Angeles- and New York-based consulting firm, is conducting the search.
4 Reach Toyota Distributor Finals
ATLANTA–Incumbent Saatchi & Saatchi was eliminated from the race for the Southeast Toyota Distributors’ $70 million advertising account. The four remaining finalists–Omni Automotive, Birmingham, Ala.; WestWayne, Atlanta; and Gotham and Grey Worldwide, both New York–will make further presentations to the Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based group. Also eliminated in the semifinals was Della Femina/Jeary and Partners in New York. A winner will be named by mid-September, according to AAR/Bob Wolf Partners, New York and L.A., which is handling the review.
Adventureseek.com Looking at 4
SAN FRANCISCO–Adventureseek.com, an online resource for adventure travel, has narrowed its $3-5 million review to four shops, according to company officials. A decision is expected to be made in mid- to late August. The finalists are Leagas Delaney, Black Rocket, Blazing Paradigm and Butler, Shine & Stern, all in San Francisco.
Air Force Amends RFP
DALLAS–The U.S. Air Force has changed the terms of its ongoing review with a 70-plus-page amendment delineating a performance-based compensation plan. The Air Force had previously proposed a combination of fee-based and performance-based compensation in its request for proposals. Six agencies are competing for the estimated $50 million account.