Facebook's $750 million media review is just one piece of a larger puzzle, Ad Age has learned: The social media titan is also reviewing its creative account and has tapped a new shop for Instagram.
Facebook confirmed that is reviewing the shops working with its in-house agency Creative X on the Facebook brand, and that on the Instagram side it has selected Johannes Leonardo to help drive "the larger creative strategy and narrative."
The company would not comment on contenders for Facebook's business. In the past, the company has farmed out parts of its brand to multiple agencies. Wieden+Kennedy has handled production of Facebook ads. BBDO had done work for WhatsApp. Leo Burnett and Droga5 also have held pieces of the business.
Increasingly, though, Facebook has been leaning on Creative X for its advertising inspiration. Creative X is led by Managing Director Amanda Goodspeed. Melissa Waters, Instagram’s VP of marketing, will also be key to the creative initiatives coming out of the new arrangement, a Facebook rep said.
The latest Instagram agency, JL, will also work in close collaboration with the in-house agency "to connect directly with culture and help push it forward, by elevating the communities and creators that are making it happen,” a Facebook spokesman said in an email statement. “We’re excited to bring Johannes Leonardo along that journey."