Volkswagen Canada hires Red Urban
By Adnews Staff
Volkswagen Canada of Ajax, ON has added an advertising agency to its roster. Canadian advertising for the automaker will now be handled though a partnership between the company's current agency, Palm+Havas, and Toronto-based Red Urban, a division of Omnicom Group. Red Urban will handle national brand messaging and image in Canada while Palm+Havas will concentrate on national tactical marketing and sponsorship activities. Palm+Havas will also remain agency of record for CRM activities. MBS will continue to handle Volkswagen Canada's media work. Palm+Havas has held the Volkswagen Canada account since 1995, while Omnicom agencies handle the company's advertising in a number of international markets. "As a result of our desire to realize benefits from increased global synergies with our parent company Volkswagen AG, and to maintain our long-standing and successful relationship with Palm, we are pleased to announce the appointment of a new agency partnership," said Bruce Rosen, director of marketing and communications at Volkswagen Canada. "It provides us with direct access to Volkswagen's newest creative work worldwide and ensures that we will continue to build on the great work done by Palm both in Quebec and across Canada. This new and unprecedented strategic partnership will complement each agency's strengths of strong vision and creativity in providing real-world marketing solutions for Volkswagen Canada."