INTERNATIONAL: Unilever taps MindShare for US media job

<p>Unilever has announced that it will consolidate responsibility for </p><p>all US media planning and broadcast buying with MindShare. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The decision follows a comprehensive review by Unilever of its US media </p><p>spend, which totalled some USdollars 700 million in 1999, according to </p><p>CMR. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Under the new agreement, MindShare will also play a key facilitating </p><p>role alongside the company's brand teams and creative advertising </p><p>agencies for Unilever's new Communication Channel Planning process, </p><p>which aims to establish the most effective combination of marketing </p><p>vehicles for its leading brands. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to Mr Brad Simmons, vice-president of Unilever US Media, "Our </p><p>goal was to make our significant investment in brand communications work </p><p>harder. Consolidation will provide a seamless linkage as we move from </p><p>broad marketing communications mix planning, through strategic media </p><p>planning to tactical implementation." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He added: "MindShare was selected for this assignment because they </p><p>offered the best combination of strategic resources and buying </p><p>capabilities." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Prior to consolidation, Unilever's US media planning assignment was </p><p>split between nine agencies. MindShare currently handles the majority of </p><p>Unilever's brand planning assignments. Agency of record responsibility </p><p>for national and local television buying was handled by Initiative </p><p>Media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Unilever initially began a media review in November 1999, but elected to </p><p>postpone the consolidation of media resource phase until this year in </p><p>order to give the media agencies a chance to establish their new </p><p>organisations in line with the pitch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- The stories in this section were sourced from MEDIA's sister </p><p>publication in the UK, Campaign magazine. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>