UNITEL SELECTS TWO
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Unitel Communications chose two Toronto-based agencies last week to work on its account, which has estimated billings of $20 million to $30 million. MacLaren McCann will do creative; Young & Rubicam will handle media buying and direct mail. Unitel made its final selection from a short list of three which also included incumbent Ogilvy & Mather of Toronto. Originally there were six Toronto agencies in contention. Those that also made it to the longer list were FCB Canada, Vickers & Benson Advertising and Carter Craig. A campaign will be launched "as soon as possible," consumer marketing vice-president Carol Adolph told Adnews last week. AT&T Canada and a consortium of three banks made a deal in September to buy financially troubled Unitel for $250 million. This is subject to regulatory approval, which is not at all certain. In the U.S., McCann-Erickson, FCB and Y&R are all on the roster of New York-based AT&T Corp. FCB and Y&R are AT&T's agencies in Canada.