Moroch’s Mcd Co-Ops To K.C.

McDonald’s has tapped Bernstein-Rein Advertising of Kansas City, Mo., for marketing duties with two regional operator groups previously served by Moroch & Associates in Dallas.
Bernstein-Rein, which is credited with developing the packaged Happy Meal concept for children, has returned to the McDonald’s agency roster after a three-year absence.
“It’s nice to be back with McDonald’s,” said agency president and chief executive officer Bob Bernstein. “We’ve lived through a lot of changes.”
Bernstein-Rein was designated agency for two of the fast-food chain’s operator groups: The McDonald’s Heart of America Co-op, representing franchisees in Kansas City, and Mac Inc., made up of restaurant operators in Nebraska and eastern Iowa.
In total, the two co-ops comprise approximately 250 McDonald’s units. Billings were not disclosed.
According to sources, the two co-ops that Moroch was handling approached Bernstein-Rein about re-establishing ties after learning that the Dallas shop was negotiating a merger with another major McDonald’s regional agency, Fahlgren in Dublin, Ohio [Adweek, May 11].
Co-op executives as well as Moroch and Fahlgren officials were unavailable or could not be reached for comment.
Bernstein-Rein has handled 13 different McDonald’s co-op groups over the years
In 1995, however, Bernstein-Rein resigned the three McDonald’s co-ops it was then handling–in Kansas City, Nebraska/eastern Iowa and Colorado Springs, Colo.–to become the national agency for Shoney’s Restaurants’ $10-12 million advertising account.
The Colorado Springs co-op signed Kragie/Newell in Des Moines, Iowa, while the other two groups hired Moroch. –with Scott Hume