SMG Streamlines P&G Planning

CHICAGO Starcom MediaVest Group has set up a dedicated unit to handle media planning for the majority of Procter & Gamble’s $2.3 billion in business currently handled by Publicis Groupe’s MediaVest USA, Starcom USA and Saatchi & Saatchi.

With locations in New York and Chicago, the planning group, SMG/P&G will be organized along brand categories for P&G assignments previously handled by various Publicis shops.

After the Publicis acquisition of Bcom3 last fall, a key priority was to more effectively align the media entities that focus on P&G, said Jack Klues, chief executive of Starcom MediaVest Group, in a statement. Creative and media buying assignments are not affected by the deal.

The SMG/P&G Planning Group will be comprised of media directors and additional staff that currently handle P&G brand assignments. In New York, the group will report into Laura Desmond, chief executive officer of MediaVest USA, and will include team members from MediaVest and Saatchi & Saatchi. The Chicago team will report to Renetta McCann, chief executive of Starcom USA.

The Cincinnati-based packaged goods company spent $2.26 billion on U.S. advertising last year, according Nielsen Media Monitor-Plus.