Sanwa Banks Its $3-Mil. At Davis, Ball By Robin Meyerowit

LOS ANGELES - Davis, Ball & Colombatto cashed in for the new year with the $3 million win of the Sanwa Bank California advertising account here, according

DBC beat out Kresser/Craig, Santa Monica, Calif., in the finals for the review, which originally included incumbent Sacks/Fuller, Robert Elen & Associates, and Lord, Dentsu & Partners.
Sacks/Fuller held the account for three years, but with management changes at the bank, agency president, John Fuller, was not surprised by the review.
‘We’ve had a good three years with Sanwa Bank. We wouldn’t have started our agency without them.’
According to Fuller, the new president from Japan, Isao Matsuura, called the review before he had even met them or seen their work. ‘I think they wanted a larger agency,’ he said. Fuller said he felt no bitterness towards the bank but losing the account, was ‘an emotional thing – your first account is like your first love.’
Contenders in the review believed that Sanwa put a priority on retail advertising experience and intends to continue to focus on its retail approach, rather than introduce a brand-building component.
Officials at Sanwa were unavailable to comment at press time.
DBC has had considerable experience with retail accounts such as the Western regional McDonald’s business and Toyota Dealers Association of Southern California.
Other DBC accounts include Knott’s Berry Farm and Tecate beer.
Calls to Brad Ball, president at DBC were not returned by press time.
Sanwa Bank California has 106 branches in California, with the majority in the Southern part of the state. The bank has $7.2 billion in assets and is the sixth largest bank in California. Sanwa Bank California is a subsidiary of The Sanwa Bank Limited, based in Japan.
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)