USAA Goes Into Play

LOS ANGELES Military-oriented insurance and financial company USAA is placing its account in review after parting with Interpublic Group’s Deutsch, New York, the client has confirmed. USAA spends about $15 million annually on ads.

Deutsch has agreed to handle the business through the first quarter of 2009.

Deutsch won the business from independent Bernstein-Rein following a review that ended last October. Since then, USAA has parted with its president and CEO Bob Davis — replacing him with retired Army Major General Joe Robles last December — as well as CMO Dawn Johnson and svp, marketing Michael Grasso.

Roger Chacko replaced Johnson as CMO, a USAA representative said. The new management team has been systematically reevaluating its marketing strategy. The rep said the company “constantly seeks to enhance its marketing operations to ensure that it is doing the right thing for our member-owned association. We thank Deutsch for their service to USAA.”

Deutsch’s work continued using a tagline that predates the agency: “We know what it means to serve.”

San Antonio-based USAA spent $15 million in measured media in 2007, per TNS Media Intelligence, but spends considerably more on direct mail and online marketing.

The company offers insurance and other financial services to members of the military and their extended families.