When is a short list not a short list in an ad agency search? Well, it’s like a popular lady who’s got a steady, but has her eye out for someone better.
Jim Beam Brands Worldwide Inc. has picked four agencies to compete for the global ad account of its flagship Jim Beam bourbon. But the Deerfield-based firm says the list might be expanded, depending on what agency or agencies knock on its door. That is, an agency or two with the proper credentials might crash the party.
Picked were Portland, Ore., ad agency Wieden & Kennedy; Hill, Holliday/Altschiller in New York; Young & Rubicam Chicago, and J. Walter Thompson Australia, the latter now working on the Jim Beam brand there.
These agencies with varying credentials are scheduled to meet next week with officials of Beam, which as a unit of Old Greenwich, Conn.-based Fortune Brands, has such sister companies as Master Lock, ACCO North America and Titleist and Foot-Joy Worldwide.
Involved is a budget of perhaps $6 million to $7 million in this country, and as much as $15 million globally.
The winner will succeed Minneapolis agency Fallon McElligott, which two weeks ago parted with the client after 10 years. Fallon also had other assignments from its ex-client.
It’s possible that such brands as Beam’s Knob Creek Bourbon and the Small Batch Bourbon Collection, DeKuyper cordials and other spirits that had been handled by Fallon might wind up with the winner.
Hill, Holliday is a former agency of Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide, working on its Early Times and other spirits. Y&R Chicago’s parent in New York in the past has worked on media for Diageo’s United Distillers and Vintners North America unit. JWT’s San Francisco office now does advertising for wine brands of Diageo.
The Jim Beam brand worldwide sells more than 5 million cases annually, a whopping 800,000 alone in Australia. Beam has done TV advertising in Australia.
Legal eagle for GM dealers: A group of Chicagoland General Motors dealers, who have banded together as the GM Dealers Coalition, has hired Sam Skinner and Chicago law firm Hopkins & Sutter, of which he’s co-chairman, to represent them in dealing with General Motors Corp. The dealers want to ward off possible action by the automaker in dissolving their advertising groups. Skinner– a former president of Unicom who also was an attorney for Uncle Sam and has political connections–and the dealers will be “seeking a dialogue” with GM, says Lake Forest lawyer Dennis M. O’Keefe. In this instance, O’Keefe also is representing Chicagoland dealer groups for Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick. An announcement is expected by Dec. 16 from GM, further implementing a new regional strategy that likely will affect the dealer groups. GM says it has received feedback from dealers. O’Keefe said the GM coalition has set up a war chest “in preparing for possible litigation.” Two unidentified Wisconsin GM groups have kicked in funds and groups elsewhere have expressed interest in backing the cause, O’Keefe said.
Paying the rent at Polo: Polo Ralph Lauren’s spectacular new store at 750 N. Michigan Ave. has been cranking out a number of $100,000 sales days, insiders report. That’s a very impressive figure, but one must wonder how much of that is “plus” business for the Magnificent Mile, because shoppers may be spending their bucks at Polo rather than other high-end retailers. In any case, $100,000 days go a long way to paying the rent, which sources say is $350,000 a month for a prime Boul Mich location.
On the move: Michael McCann to Chicago-area director of marketing for Sprint PCS; he’s based in Oak Brook. . . . Jacqueline Block to Newspapers First’s Midwest office as a sales executive, major accounts. . . . Suzanne Staples to a regional account manager on the Midwest ad sales staff of Times Mirror’s Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Outdoor Explorer magazines. . . . Carol Rizzie to VP of business development at Kanbay Inc., Rosemont.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Michael A. Karras, 32; Linda M. Whitlock, 34; Thomas M. Fulton, 65 (Landauer Inc.); Philip J. Bedella, 33; R.L. “Dick” McCullough, 62; Andy Nezzle, 80; Ted Biedron, 52; Nick Harkin, 33; Leslie Hindman, 44, and Ciela Quitsch, 45.
![Volunteers who have been providing care packages and assisting migrants off of buses and onto trains at Wilmette’s Metra Station urged the Wilmette Village Board to not follow neighboring communities by adopting a busing ordinance during Wednesday night’s meeting. Despite concerns, trustees voted unanimously to limit unscheduled bus drop-offs to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Village Manager Michael Braiman, who told Pioneer Press in early January the village had no plans to move forward with busing ordinances, said increased late-night drop-offs have begun to cause concern. According to the village, 68 buses with approximately 2,700 people have arrived […]](https://www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PPN-L-WLM-busingordinance-050224-01.jpg?w=467 "Volunteers who have been providing care packages and assisting migrants off of buses and onto trains at Wilmette’s Metra Station urged the Wilmette Village Board to not follow neighboring communities by adopting a busing ordinance during Wednesday night’s meeting. Despite concerns, trustees voted unanimously to limit unscheduled bus drop-offs to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Village Manager Michael Braiman, who told Pioneer Press in early January the village had no plans to move forward with busing ordinances, said increased late-night drop-offs have begun to cause concern. According to the village, 68 buses with approximately 2,700 people have arrived […]")
