GM CONSOLIDATES MEDIA PLANNING
By Adnews Staff
General Motors Corporation of Detroit, Michigan has consolidated its media planning business with Starcom MediaVest Group. The assignment is the largest in the U.S. SMG will create a new unit called GM Planworks to handle the business. The unit, which will be located in the Detroit area, is expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2001. GM Planworks will be responsible for all media planning activities for all of GM's divisions with the exception of Saturn and Saab. According to a report in the New York Times, two additional agencies were also being considered in the review, the Interpublic Group of Companies and Carat North America. The report also said the consolidation of media planning at GM comes seven years after the company consolidated its media buying at GM MediaWorks of Warren, Michigan. That media buying operation was created for the automotive maker by Interpublic Group of Companies. Starcom MediaVest is a member of the Chicago-based B Com3 Group of companies.