17032: American Express—Don’t Leave Homeland Without It…?

 

Advertising Age reported American Express put its U.S. business in review.

 

The incumbent is Dentsu, based in Japan. Pitch competitors will include WPP, headquartered in London.

 

Anybody else wondering why American Express wouldn’t award its U.S. account to a White advertising agency in the U.S.A.?

 

American Express is in US creative agency review

 

By Brian Bonilla and Brandon Deorrer

 

American Express has launched a creative review for its U.S. business. Incumbent Dentsu is expected to defend, while WPP is also participating, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

“We have launched a competitive agency review process across both our Creative Content and Brand Strategy and Planning work in the U.S. We look forward to reviewing the proposals from the invited agencies,” the financial services giant told Ad Age.

 

American Express first hired Dentsu as its lead agency for a bulk of its business in 2017 and later consolidated all of its creative work with Dentsu in 2020. Before those changes, Ogilvy was the company’s lead agency for over 50 years. American Express appointed IPG’s UM as its global media agency of record in 2018.

 

Dentsu was invited to defend the account, American Express’s spokeswoman confirmed. This review won’t affect Dentsu’s global remit with the company. WPP is also participating in the review, according to multiple sources close to the situation.

 

WPP wasn’t immediately available for comment. Dentsu referred request for comment to American Express.

 

American Express spent $524 million on U.S. measured media in 2024, up from $490 million in 2023, according to data by Mediaradar.

 

It leans heavily on sports and experiential marketing, particularly surrounding experiences made possible by being an Amex cardholder. Last month, it hosted Member Week, which treated cardholders to exclusive drinks at participating restaurants and special shopping rewards. The event caters to younger consumers, which inspired the brand to host a concert with musician Gracie Abrams in Brooklyn. American Express also recently invited members to a Thailand-inspired stay at the Four Seasons Westlake as part of a season finale watch party for “The White Lotus,” which included a panel with cast members from the HBO show.

 

American Express is one of the four major U.S. payment card networks alongside Discover, Visa and Mastercard. Among the four, it has the second lowest market share worldwide, above only Discover, according to a Feb. 14 report from Motley Fool Money that compiled data from the Federal Reserve, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, major credit and debit card issuers and the Nilson Report. There are 141 million American Express cards in circulation around the world, which comprise 4% of all credit cards in use, according to the report.

 

American Express and Discover issue cards directly to customers, while Visa and Mastercard issue their cards through financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase and Citi. American Express could be shuffled to the bottom of the pack of those four, as Discover waits to be acquired by Capital One for $35 billion, which would make it the largest U.S. credit card issuer. The Department of Justice in early April decided it would not block the deal.

 

American Express cards accounted for $1.7 trillion, or 9%, of global purchase volume in 2023, according to Nilson Report data cited by Motley Fool Money. Looking at the U.S., the brand accounted for $1.1 trillion, or 19%, of purchase volume.

15202: Another Sign That The Apocalypse Is Upon US…

Campaign reported American Express consolidated its creative with Dentsu, completely cutting out Ogilvy. Okay, review that news one more time. American Express chooses Dentsu; that is, America picks Japan. Wonder what Jerry Della Femina might have to say about this… Then again, Ogilvy is owned by WPP in Britain.

 

AmEx consolidates creative with Dentsu, cutting creative ties with Ogilvy

 

By Alison Weissbrot

 

The credit card provider is expanding its relationship with Dentsu in the U.S. to five more international markets, officially ending a 50-year-plus creative relationship with Ogilvy.

 

American Express has expanded its creative work with Dentsumcgarrybowen to all international markets, ending an almost 60-year relationship with Ogilvy, Campaign US has learned.

 

American Express has been consolidating its creative account under Dentsumcgarrybowen since 2017, when it handed its global brand and U.S. creative accounts to the agency without a formal review. Its goal was to put all of its creative work under one agency, but at the time, Dentsumcgarrybowen did not have a footprint in certain markets, so Ogilvy retained some creative duties internationally.

 

Now, American Express is adding five more international markets to its relationship Dentsumcgarrybowen, again without a formal review, shifting all of its international creative duties under the agency. The transition is expected to be complete in early 2021.

 

Ogilvy declined to comment. Dentsu did not respond to requests for comment. 

 

Ogilvy has worked with American Express since 1962. The companies have partnered on iconic campaigns, from “Don’t Live Life Without It,” which ran from 1975 through the mid-1990s, to the more recent “Pay It Plan It” campaign starring actress and comedian Tina Fey. Ogilvy retains American Express’ PR account.

 

Gordon Bowen, co-founder and chairman of Mcgarrybowen, worked on the American Express account as an executive at Ogilvy. Dentsu merged with Mcgarrybowen outside of Japan in May.

 

American Express spends roughly $400 million on media globally, with around $300 million in the U.S., according to global pitch consultant R3. In 2018, American Express ended another long-term relationship, handing its media planning and buying duties to UM after 20 years with Mindshare.

 

The shifts at American Express reflect a larger trend among marketers to move away from long-term AOR relationships and consolidate more duties under a single agency or holding company. 

14279: Latino American Express.

How to target Latinos:

Family Imagery. Check.

Caring Father Figure. Check.

Soccer Balls. Check.

14263: Aretha Franklin (1942-2018).

The late Aretha Franklin inspired commercials including American Express, Mickey D’s, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Prodigy Internet and Snickers.

13709: AmEx Charges Out Of Ogilvy.

Adweek reported American Express shifted its global brand business from Ogilvy to mcgarrybowen—apparently without a review, making the move a major monument of Corporate Cultural Collusion. An American Express spokesperson stated, “mcgarrybowen will be working with us on developing a new global brand platform that will bring together all of our brand and product-related work under one umbrella. The new platform will capture the innovative work that is underway throughout our company and reflect the diversity of our business here in the U.S. and internationally.” Sorry, but diversity should not be mentioned when dumping one culturally clueless White advertising agency for another, especially when the new AOR has shown pride for being founded by nepotistic Old White Guys. Granted, the current mcgarrybowen leadership has diversified to feature slightly younger White men and White women, yet the agency website seems to have lost its diversity statement. Then again, maybe it’s fitting that a White advertising agency create a global concept for a company called American Express, which used to tout its exclusivity by declaring, “Membership Has Its Privileges.” In the advertising industry, membership has its White privileges.

American Express Moves Its Global Brand Account to Mcgarrybowen After More Than 50 Years With Ogilvy

Longtime agency will remain on roster

By Patrick Coffee

American Express has moved responsibilities for all global brand creative development, as well as U.S. execution of that work, from Ogilvy & Mather to Mcgarrybowen in an unexpected shift.

Moving forward, American Express confirmed that Ogilvy “will be responsible for international execution and they will also continue with some of their current U.S. work,” but declined to elaborate on which portions of the business will stay with the WPP network.

The client did not issue an RFP.

“Mcgarrybowen will be working with us on developing a new global brand platform that will bring together all of our brand and product-related work under one umbrella,” said an AmEx spokesperson. “The new platform will capture the innovative work that is underway throughout our company and reflect the diversity of our business here in the U.S. and internationally.”

Ogilvy has worked with American Express in some capacity since 1962. During that stretch, the agency has been responsible for such memorable lines as “Don’t leave home without it” and “Membership has its privileges,” and the partnership endured as other agencies came and went.

Spokespeople for both agencies deferred to the client for comment.

American Express, which is currently America’s fourth largest credit card company by membership, has long distinguished itself as an exclusive product in a series of ads aimed at upper income consumers. Its most recent global brand campaign, starring comedian Tina Fey, began running in 2014.

The reasons behind the decision to move that work to Mcgarrybowen are unclear at this time, but it’s worth noting that co-founder and chairman Gordon Bowen is a former Ogilvy executive who led the aforementioned “Membership has its privileges” campaign.

More than a year ago, American Express announced that chief marketing officer John Hayes would be leaving the company after more than 20 years as part of a larger streamlining effort. At the same time, the company created a global marketing operations unit led by vp Mike McCormack and promoted longtime executive Elizabeth Rutledge to the role of evp, global advertising and media.

Kantar Media lists American Express’s 2016 domestic paid media budget at approximately $502 million, a significant increase over the $408 million the company spent on marketing in 2015.

13497: Pharrell Williams Goes Platinum.

HYPEBEAST reported American Express named Pharrell Williams as Creative Director of its Platinum Card. Isn’t Ogilvy & Mather the AOR for American Express? Maybe Ogilvy Worldwide CEO John Seifert will try to count the appointment as a diversity win. Once again, it’s easy for Blacks to land a job in advertising—provided they have A-list celebrity status.

Pharrell Williams Is the New Creative Director of American Express Platinum Card

The versatile artist takes on another role.

By Joanna Fu

The multi-talented Pharrell Williams has many titles under his belt. In addition to musician, producer, fashion designer, CFDA style icon and Chanel model, the artist can now add creative director of American Express Platinum Card to his repertoire. Earlier this morning, American Express announced the news, commenting that Williams will bring “his creative vision and style to inspire and guide the global experiences, access and services that the Platinum Card is renowned for providing.” Having witnessed the success Pharrell has generated from previous business collaborations such as G-Star RAW, adidas Originals and many more, the multinational financial service corporation anticipates Pharrell’s professional experience and artistic vision to guide Amex user experiences and events that will help propel the premium consumer lifestyle. “Like many of our card members, he’s traveled the globe, he has an amazing imagination and he loves to discover and share new experiences,” commented Janey Whiteside of American Express. “I’m excited to be partnering with such a globally respected brand as American Express,” said Pharrell, in a statement.

10089: American Express ‘Open’ To Diversity?

Advertising Age reported American Express is conducting a review of its “Open” business. Despite the fact that AmEx CEO Kenneth Chenault is Black, it’s unlikely the competition will be “open” to minority agencies. Go figure.

AmEx Conducts Creative Agency Search for ‘Open’ Business

MDC Partners’ CP&B Has Been Shop for Almost Five Years

By Rupal Parekh

American Express is reaching out to creative shops for ideas on its ‘Open’ business, which provides credit cards and other services for small businesses, according to executives familiar with the matter.

The account has been with MDC Partners’ CP&B since 2007. Before that, it was handled by WPP Group’s Ogilvy, New York, which is AmEx’s agency of record.

Boston-based search consultancy Pile & Co. is overseeing the review, the execs said, and it’s understood that CP&B is defending. The agency declined to comment.

An AmEx spokesman would say only that “from time to time, American Express evaluates its agency assignments to ensure we have the best partners for our marketing needs, and to get new ideas and fresh perspectives.”

According to the Ad Age DataCenter, American Express Co. is the fifth-largest national advertiser, with more than $2.2 billion in domestic spending. Open spending was about $40 million in U.S. measured media in 2011, vs. between $50 million and $100 million in previous years, according to Kantar.

Areas of discussion with agencies could include turning Open Forum into a place for doing business in addition to sharing ideas.

CP&B works on other marketing projects for AmEx, including Small Business Saturday, an event aimed at boosting Main Street merchants. The agency, along with Publicis Groupe’s Digitas, launched the initiative in 2010. Last year was the second annual Small Business Saturday, and AmEx estimated that it led to 103 million U.S. consumers’ shopping at independent businesses.

This week, the campaign received “The World’s Best Idea” award at the New York Festivals.

9669: 20% Black Representation In Advertising…?

Advertising Age presented an article titled, “Hats Off to These 10 Forward-Thinking Clients”—and two of the executives are Black! American Express CEO and Chairman Ken Chenault and former Kraft Foods Executive VP Ann Fudge were the sole minorities among the White people saluted by the trade journal. In fact, Ad Age went so far as to write that Fudge “is still probably the most important [Black] executive the advertising industry has ever seen.” It’s interesting that a list of top ten innovative clients can include two Blacks, yet such a diverse representation is never seen in collections of advertising agency superstars.

6755: Downsizing Digest.

Quick hits in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Nike announced plans to kick out 1,750 workers. Not sure how many will be sweatshop employees from Third World nations. Just do it.

• American Express will dump 4,000 workers. Membership does not have its privileges.