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America West Prepares Long List LOS ANGELES-America West Airlines has issued questionnaires to agencies as part of its preliminary screening of contenders for its $20 million account. Achenbaum Bogda Associates of New York is conducting the search. Among the agencies contacted: BBDO West and Grey Advertising, both in Los Angeles; Deutsch in Santa Monica, Calif., and New York; EvansGroup's Seattle office; Gotham in New York; and McCann-Erickson in Los Angeles. McCann will not compete due to a conflict with USAir, sources said. The client and agencies declined comment. Bay Networks Narrows to 4 Shops LOS ANGELES-Bay Networks has selected four finalists in the review for the creative portion of its $10-12 million account: Hanft Byrne Raboy Abrams & Partners and Mezzina/Brown, both in New York; Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos in Boston; and Amazon Advertising in San Francisco. They will make presentations Sept. 24-25. A decision is expected Sept. 25. Mike Marsak of Effective Marketing Strategies in Marina del Rey, Calif., is the consultant. Ad Blitz for Mercedes Sports Utility NEW YORK-Mercedes-Benz of North America is spending an estimated $35 million on national ads for its M Class sport utility vehicle and enlisting the ghost of Ed Sullivan to launch the luxury 4x4. In a spot that will debut Sept. 14, the legendary Sunday night impresario will appear to be introducing the new M Class. Lowe & Partners/SMS here is the agency. Print ads break in fall issues of Outside, The New Yorker and Forbes, among others. Red Roof Moves Toward Review DETROIT-Red Roof Inns in Hilliard, Ohio, is "reassessing" its marketing following the recent hiring of a new senior vice president of marketing. That process could lead to a review of its estimated $10 million account, now handled by W. B. Doner & Co., Southfield, Mich. Kirshenbaum Resigns Maidenform NEW YORK-Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners here has resigned the $5 million Maidenform account, due to the client's bankruptcy status. The shop began working with the New York client in early 1996. Maidenform would not comment on the future of its ad account. Cappelli Sets Up Office in France NEW YORK-The Ad Store has opened an "affiliate office" in Paris "under a licensing agreement," said shop founder and president Paul Cappelli. Laurent Forlani, a former BBDO international creative director, is the president and a major equity owner of the The Ad Store Paris. Unlike Cappelli's branch offices in Atlanta and Los Angeles, the Paris shop will be managed and financed autonomously. Lowe & Partners Seeks President NEW YORK-Lowe & Partners/SMS here is looking for a senior executive to serve as president of its New York office, sources said last week. It has not had a president since late 1994 or a second-in-command since general manager Bruce Kelley left the shop in July to start his own entertainment marketing company. With the retirement date of agency co-chairman Marvin Sloves uncertain, there is no heir apparent to run day-to-day agency operations. Lowe executives could not be reached for comment by press time. Bates USA Resigns Foot Locker NEW YORK-Bates USA here resigned its estimated $40 million Woolworth's Foot Locker and Champs Sports account last week. The agency will continue to handle the business for the New York-based client, which includes Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker, for the next 90 days according to the terms of the contract. Similar terms apply to Zenith Media here, which had handled media buying duties. Bates will retain responsibility for the estimated $6 million Kinney Shoes business, which is part of a different Woolworth division. The client has been talking to other shops for several months. SDRC Account Goes Into Review ATLANTA-SDRC, a Cincinnati-based software company, is considering four shops to handle its advertising, according to Karen Kramer, manager of advertising and design for the client. Kramer said the company is considering Kearns Design in Dayton, Ohio, which has been handling design work for SDRC; Howard, Merrell & Partners, Raleigh, N.C.; M&C Saatchi, New York; and McConnaughy Stein Schmidt Brown, Chicago. Sources said the budget is $5-7 million. SDRC's ad work is handled in-house. Newswire Roundup Berenter Greenhouse & Webster has been reunited with toy maker Gund, Edison, N.J. The client awarded its creative, media planning and buying duties to Berenter last month. The New York shop was the client's incumbent agency five years ago. Gund has handled the $1 million account in-house since 1992 Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners in New York has withdrawn from the $2-3 million creative account review for Swiss Army Brands, Shelton, Conn., citing that it would prefer not to compete with Mad Dogs & Englishmen for a piece of business this size. Contenders remaining are: Mullen, Wenham, Mass.; Lyons Marketing Communications, Wilmington, Del.; and Mad Dogs Nabisco roster agencies Foote, Cone & Belding and McCann-Erickson, both New York, made presentations last week for the Grey Poupon and A-1 steak sauces accounts. A decision is expected this week American Stock Exchange has met with Angotti, Thomas, Hedge and Fallon McElligott Berlin, both in New York, and will meet with two other New York shops, Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners and Doremus & Co., about its $6 million ad account. Incumbent Merkley Newman Harty is defending the business.

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