MNCs line up for high-profile Sony shoot-out

Taking place in New York, it is believed that the four major holding groups have each put forward creative agencies to pitch for the new project. Reported contenders include Fallon, Draft FCB, Y&R, BBDO and Berlin Cameron. In particular, given its award-winning work on Sony's Bravia range, Publicis Groupe agency Fallon is expected to mount a strong bid for the high-profile assignment, which marks Sony's first corporate branding project in several years.

"Following a comprehensive global brand analysis by Wolff Olins, we are beginning to explore the possibility of a new branding campaign for Sony," said a Sony spokesperson via email. "Sony's brand is one of the company's greatest assets, and through this project we hope to achieve maximum leverage for Sony's businesses, individually and collectively."

While the pitch is being referred to as North America-only, it is expected that creative will be extended globally. "There are many different parts of Sony, all of which go about life in separate ways," said a source, noting that the company has struggled to apply a consistent message across its myriad business units, which include consumer electronics, PlayStation, music, movies and TV.

"There is a need to unite the people in the company, to give Sony one common voice that everyone can buy into," said another source.

The review follows a similar exercise in Asia-Pacific by Sony, which resulted in Y&R being handed the brand's regional consumer electronics assignment (Media, 4 July).