MetLife Cuts to Final 4
The company spent $56 million last year in major measured media
By Andrew McMains
MetLife this week will brief four finalist agencies in its review of consumer-directed creative duties on its advertising account, sources said.
Sources identified the finalists as MDC Partners’ Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Miami and Boulder, Colo., independent Venables Bell & Partners in San Francisco, Havas’ Euro RSCG of New York and the incumbent, WPP’s Young & Rubicam, also in New York.
The contenders emerged from a larger group of shops that met with client executives last month, said sources. Agency work sessions are scheduled for late August and final presentations will take place in late September, according to the client’s initial request for proposals.
The review does not include digital duties handled by WPP’s Neo@Ogilvy in New York nor business-to-business efforts, now at independent Bernstein-Rein in Kansas City, Mo.
Last year, the New York-based client’s major media spending—including outlays for consumer and b-to-b ads—exceeded $56 million, down from nearly $63 million in 2008, according to Nielsen.
Source Martin in New York is managing the review. Michael Stefanski, assistant vp of global brand and marketing, is among the key decision makers.
The consultancy did not return calls, and the client could not immediately be reached. The agencies either declined to comment or could not be reached.
