11630: Infinite Infiniti Options.

Adweek reported the Nissan Infiniti brand is up for review. Incumbent agency TBWA\Chiat\Day is defending the account, which has been serviced by the shop for roughly 15 years. Guess Nissan United wasn’t enough to keep the automaker happy. Look for holding company Omnicom to throw Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Juniper Park and Fathom Communications into the pitch. Why, if Omnicom also taps Publicis Groupe, the Corporate Cultural Collusion possibilities for Infiniti are infinite.

Infiniti Launches Global Creative Review

Incumbent TBWA is defending

By Andrew McMains

Nissan is reviewing global creative responsibilities for its luxury Infiniti brand, an Infiniti representative has confirmed.

Worldwide media spending on the brand was not immediately available. In the U.S. alone last year, however, Infiniti spent nearly $230 million in media. That figure represented a substantial uptick from 2011, when spending totaled $125 million, according to Nielsen.

TBWA has been Infiniti’s lead global agency since the late 1990s. The Omnicom Group shop, whose largest global client is Nissan, is defending. The agency had no immediate comment.

The review is in its early stages and includes regional responsibilities, such as in the U.S., according to the rep.

“Infiniti has worked with our current advertising agency for 15 years,” the rep added. “We feel it’s prudent to review this relationship on a regular basis to ensure the best possible service and performance levels. To this extent, we are currently reviewing our options, and have asked several agencies, including our current agency, to present their capabilities.”

The review coincides with a separate search for an agency to handle a new global assignment to lead social media efforts. That search is also at a preliminary stage.

As another Infiniti rep explained, “Social Media is an integral part of the company’s interaction with consumers, media and other stakeholders. It is global by nature and so, we have an opportunity from taking a global view at this part of the business.”

Both reviews will extend into the first quarter of next year, if not longer.

The searches come three months after Michael Bartsch was named to replace Ben Poore as vp of Infiniti Americas—the top post in the region. Before that, Bartsch was chief operating officer at Porsche Cars North America. He started his new job in September.