MEDIA ACCOUNTS MOVE OVER TO OPTIMEDIA
By Adnews Staff
Optimedia Canada of Toronto hasn't wasted any time gaining new clients. The agency was recently given the media buying business of Nestle Canada, General Mills Canada, Coca-Cola Canada and Minute Maid, all of Toronto, as well as Cosmair of Montreal. In addition, Optimedia will handle the media planning and buying portions of the Hasbro Canada account. Previously, all of these accounts were with FCB's media operation, which was headed up by Sunni Boot. She recently moved over to Optimedia to become president. Debby King, most recently senior vice-president and managing director of FCB's media unit, now holds the same position at Optimedia. All of the accounts were won without a review. Optimedia Canada is owned by Publicis Canada. The agency was formed earlier this month with the merger of the media operations of Publicis BCP and Publicis SMW, both of Toronto. FCB's media operation is now known as TN Media. Previously it was called Optimedia, but Publicis reclaimed the name. The Optimedia name is a worldwide trademark of Publicis. Other Optimedia clients include: Chrysler Canada, L'Oreal, Wal-Mart Canada, Manulife Financial and Club Med.
FCB of Toronto still has a lot on its plate after its merger with Harrod & Mirlin of Toronto. The newly merged firm is called Harrod & Mirlin/FCB and will have billings of $102 million. The combined client list includes: Nabisco Brands, Coors Brewing Co., Tropicana, S.C. Johnson, Canada Trust, Levi Strauss & Co., Bristol Myers Squibb's Mead Johnson, Canadian Pacific Hotels and Bestfoods.