Toth Among Hopefuls for Coty Brand

NEW YORK Independent Toth Brand Imaging is one of seven hopefuls persuing the creative portion of Coty Cosmetics’ $10 million Stetson account, sources said.

Along with the Concord, Mass.-based shop, also pitching are New York incumbent Della Femina Rothschild Jeary and Partners, which is partly owned by the Omnicom Group, and Interpublic Group shops Gotham and Avrett Free Ginsberg, both in New York, and Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis, as well as independents Bouchez Kent + Co. and Laspata/DeCaro, both in New York, sources said.

The client is expected to visit the shops in about two weeks before cutting to three finalists. Final presentations are scheduled for late next month, with a decision shortly thereafter, sources said.

The agencies either declined comment or could not be reached.

Della Femina dropped out of the contest last week, but returned a day later, sources said. Agency president Michael Jeary declined to explain the change of heart but sources said it occurred after a call from a Coty executive. New York consultancy Roth Associates is managing the review, which does not include media duties, now at Omnicom’s OMD in New York.