In a major realignment of its agency roster, Microsoft is shifting ad chores on its Office business suite to WPP Group’s JWT, according to sources.
The Office business had been handled previously by Interpublic Group’s McCann Erickson. This marks the second major Microsoft loss for IPG of late following the software giant’s recent decision to pull its global direct marketing assignment from MRM.
The Office shift follows a pitch for a new Microsoft mobile offering won by McCann’s T.A.G. unit, said sources. JWT, McCann and fellow roster shop Crispin, Porter + Bogusky competed for that assignment, for which the client used the code-name Pink. (Adweek.com reported that T.A.G. won Pink earlier today.) JWT, which first joined the roster about a year ago, now handles three key Microsoft assignments: “People ready,” the new Bing search engine and Office.
The shop declined to comment and referred calls to the client, which had no immediate comment.
McCann, which still handles Windows mobile efforts in addition to Pink, also declined to comment and referred queries to Microsoft. McCann, which still handles Windows mobile efforts in addition to Pink, also declined to comment and referred queries to Microsoft. Spending for Pink could not be ascertained in part because the assignment is new. In the U.S., Windows major media spending totaled $62 million last year and $70 million in the first four months of 2009, according to Nielsen. Those figures don’t included online spending.
All told, Microsoft spent nearly $260 million in the U.S last year and about $118 million between January and April this year, per Nielsen.
In the last 19 months, Microsoft has reached beyond its lead agency McCann for new ideas for key assignments.