JC Penney Taps Vidal Partnership

NEW YORK JC Penney has named independent Vidal Partnership as the lead ad agency to handle its U.S. Hispanic business following a review.
 
The client spends more than $400 million annually in domestic measured media, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. JC Penney spent nearly $40 million during 2007 in domestic Hispanic TV alone.
 
“The Vidal Partnership will be a key partner in JC Penney’s continuing commitment to reach Hispanic customers through culturally-relevant targeted communications,” Olivia E. Vela, the client’s multicultural marketing director said in a statement. “Vidal’s solid marketplace experience combined with their strategic approach, agency resources, media clout [and] the in-depth experience of their senior leadership team will accelerate our Hispanic marketing outreach.”
 
Duties will include providing strategic counsel in reaching Hispanic consumers via marketing initiatives such as customer research, advertising, media planning and buying and national event campaigns “that will position the retailer as the preferred department store for the Hispanic community,” JC Penney said.
 
For Vidal, the account win is the latest in a string of new business that in recent months has included Royal Caribbean International, as part of WPP Group’s integrated “teamRoyal,” and Johnson & Johnson, named along with La Comunidad, Miami, to handle the company’s Hispanic account.
 
“JC Penney’s holistic approach to communicating with the Hispanic customer allows TVP to showcase our strength in insight-driven creative ideas delivered through the line,” said Manny Vidal, agency president and CEO.
 
The retailer had put the account in play in early January, inviting a shortlist of Hispanic agencies to participate, including winning shop and Publicis Groupe’s Saatchi & Saatchi unit Conill Advertising, both of New York, and Zubi Advertising, Miami.
 
Omnicom Group’s Dieste Harmel & Partners, Dallas, previously held the account.
 
The client is based in Plano, Texas.