Verizon Puts $50 Mil. in Play

Verizon Wireless, already known to be holding reviews in its Southwest and South Central regions, has put its Northeast retail advertising assignment in review.

The lion’s share of that account, which covers mainly metropolitan New York and New England, is handled by Bozell in New York, which also works on the client’s national image campaign, tagged, “Join in.” The Northeast retail advertising budget was not disclosed, but sources put it at $50 million.

“Some of our regions across the country are reviewing agencies [for] local, tactical advertising [including the Northeast region],” said Nancy Stark, a representative with Verizon Wireless in Bedminster, N.J.

Bozell has been invited to defend in the Northeast competition, and its standing as the agency for Verizon Wireless is not in jeopardy, Stark said.

She declined to discuss further details or disclose the names of other shops that have been contacted.

The client was already holding two separate reviews for its retail...