LONDON - Ten months have passed since DCMA, the joint venture between CIA Medianetwork and True North Communications' FCB Worldwide, won Daimler-Chrysler's estimated $600 million media buying account. Now the duo has picked up DaimlerChrysler's media planning business globally, excluding the USA, Canada, Mexico and Germany. The assignment was made without a competitive review.
DCMA has now consolidated all planning and buying in more than 60 markets across five continents. DCMA is represented worldwide through either CIA or FCB offices.
In April 1999, the newly merged DaimlerChrysler consolidated its estimated $1.8 billion media buying business with three groups: BBDO Worldwide-owned PentaCom of Troy, Michigan, for the USA, Canada and Mexico; BBDO-owned GFMO of Stuttgart for the German market; and the DCMA joint venture for all the other markets around the world.
PentaCom will continue to handle media planning in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
In Germany, DCMA will continue to handle Chrysler media planning, while GFMO will handle Daimler-Chrysler media buying.
The main losers from the February 15 assignment are the dozens of local creative advertising agencies Mercedes-Benz has used around the world that primarily have been handling media planning. Among the agencies Mercedes uses are Springer & Jacoby, Hamburg, and Bates Worldwide in Latin America.
Earlier this month, Daimler-Chrysler promoted Ken Laurence to the new Auburn Hills, Michigan-based post of director-global media, from director-international marketing operations.
DCMA is focused on the management of DaimlerChrysler brands Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge in more than 60 markets across five continents.
CIA Medianetwork is owned by UK-based Tempus Group.