12753: Olive Gardening For White Shop.

Adweek reported Olive Garden is launching a creative review that will include incumbent Grey, the White advertising agency that has serviced the account for nearly 30 years. Not sure what’s more astonishing: Grey holding the account for roughly three decades or Olive Garden actually working with an agency to produce its mediocre creative campaigns. Olive Garden’s parent company, Darden, states the following about diversity and inclusion:

Darden’s vibrant culture embraces diversity and inclusion as business imperatives. This spirit of inclusiveness is woven into our strong, values-based culture that we believe gives us a competitive advantage.

So why will Olive Garden likely opt to partner with a White advertising agency where diversity remains a dream deferred and denied? The restaurant chain’s hypocritical leadership should be beaten with breadsticks.

After 3 Decades With Grey, Olive Garden Launches Creative Review

The lead agency since 1986 is defending

By Noreen O’Leary

Olive Garden, a mainstay account at Grey for nearly three decades, has launched a review of its creative business.

The restaurant chain spent $155 million in media last year, according to Kantar Media.

Grey, which handles the business out of its New York headquarters, is defending. Pile + Co. in Boston is managing the process.

In a statement, Olive Garden evp of marketing Jose Duenas confirmed Grey’s participation, noting that the WPP Group agency has been a “tremendous partner and has played an important part in helping build the Olive Garden brand.”

The search is in its early stages and won’t conclude until the fall.

Grey first landed the business in 1986 and has retained the account through several management changes.

Olive Garden parent company Darden earlier this year reviewed its media planning and buying, keeping Olive Garden at Starcom and shifting its Longhorn Steakhouse business to Carat and 360i.