Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn said last week that the holding company’s new business pipeline is 50% higher than last year—more evidence of an overall uptick in agency reviews. But there’s a catch: the accounts in review are significantly smaller than in the past, leading to a more competitive environment overall for the industry.

New business has its typical cycles. There are likely to be increases in new business opportunities at the end of the year and the start of the year as well as in May, as companies plan for back-to-school season, said Tombras Chief Growth Officer Maggie Jennings. Jennings said she is seeing reviews last longer than usual and fewer consultant-led pitches. Full-service creative review scopes have also changed as clients look to make their budgets work harder, she said.

“Competition is tough,” said Meghan McDonnell, president of consultancy Pile and Company. “You have bigger agencies going after opportunities that they probably wouldn’t have gone after years ago from a revenue standpoint. For many years a lot of agencies would have a strict cutoff. But when there are fewer [big] opportunities, people are willing to make exceptions. They almost say ‘yes’ before they say they understand what the ask is, and that’s not helping anyone.”

Also: Agencies as media sellers—a controversial growth engine

“[Some of] the creative ones that we’ve been invited to seem to be more like quick hits, but still an AOR,” said Jennings, who in the past led business development at Wieden+Kennedy. “They don’t need always-on work. Their business doesn’t need lots and lots of creative, so it’s [more about] how do you help them with their platform. How do you help them with creative and then do a big campaign, but then the rollout is going to be across multiple months.”

These varying needs have resulted in a bumper crop of new business opportunities. Here, Ad Age tracks just some of the ongoing reviews.

Adobe

Adobe is in the throes of a creative review run by MediaLink, as Ad Age reported in March. The company conducted a media review in late 2022, eventually splitting the account between Wavemaker and Publicis Media. 

Adobe’s advertising expenses totaled $970 million in fiscal 2023, $1.04 billion in 2022 and $865 million in 2021, according to its latest annual filing. The software company has rapidly embraced AI in recent years. Last month, it added new generative AI tools to its Photoshop creative software to give users more control over their designs.

According to several people familiar with the client, Adobe has worked with numerous agencies. Some of the more current ones include 72andSunny and design agency Tolleson.

Adobe didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

BlackRock

BlackRock is in the midst of a global creative review, according to five people close to the situation. The review is said to be in its early stages and being handled by Flock Associates. Both BlackRock and Flock declined to comment.

BlackRock reported spending $82 million on marketing and promotional activities during the first three months of the year. That’s slightly more than the $74 million it spent in the fourth quarter of 2023. BlackRock spent $344 million on marketing and promotional expenses for all of 2023, according to its latest annual filing.

It’s unclear if one agency previously held the account, although the financial giant had worked with Ogilvy for years. In 2009 Ogilvy was credited with a brand redesign. Last year, BlackRock aired spots that have been credited to the WPP agency although a spokesman for Ogilvy claims that BlackRock hasn't been a client for over five years.

BlackRock has also worked with other agencies, such as Publicis design agency Turner Duckworth, which helped create a new visual identity system for the brand in 2021.

Columbia Sportswear

Columbia Sportswear is conducting a creative review, according to two people familiar with the matter. Columbia Sportswear, which makes clothing and footwear, has previously worked with McCann Worldgroup.

A Columbia Sportswear spokesperson declined to comment. McCann did not comment by deadline.

The company shelled out $57 million in U.S. measured media last year, a slight decline from $59 million in 2022, according to Vivvix, which includes paid social data from Pathmatics.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. is close to wrapping a creative review, according to several people familiar with the matter. It wasn’t clear which consultant was running the review.

The review, which includes work for Goodyear tires and some of its other products, aims to consolidate the company’s voluminous agency roster. The company has recently worked with GSD&M and Colle McVoy, among others.

Goodyear didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. GSD&M did not comment by deadline. Colle McVoy declined to comment.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.’s U.S. measured media spend in 2023 was $36 million, according to Vivvix, which includes paid social data from Pathmatics. 

McDonald’s

McDonald’s is believed to have wrapped the bulk of a global CRM review. Requests for information were sent out to agencies in October and final negotiations were scheduled for February of this year, according to an RFI obtained by Ad Age.

Flock Associates is believed to be handling the review but declined to comment. McDonald’s wasn’t immediately available for comment.

McDonald’s recently named its creative agency Wieden+Kennedy as its lead agency for its Happy Meals marketing.

More news: McDonald’s Tariq Hassan wins brand CMO of the year

Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual is conducting a U.S. media review, which is being handled by MediaLink, a company spokesperson confirmed. MediaLink declined to comment. Horizon Media’s performance marketing arm, Horizon Next, is the incumbent agency. Horizon declined to comment.

Northwestern Mutual spent $29 million in U.S. measured media during 2023, down from $56 million the year before, according to Vivvix, which includes paid social data from Pathmatics.

Panda Express

Panda Express is said to be in the late stages of a creative review, according to multiple people close to the situation. The restaurant chain has most recently worked with The Many as its lead creative agency; that shop handled a campaign for the brand last year called “However you Panda.”

Panda Express and The Many weren’t immediately available for comment.

In 2023, Panda Express spent $26 million in U.S. measured media spend, according to Vivvix, which includes paid social data from Pathmatics. That’s slightly lower than the $29 million it spent in 2022.

[Editor’s note: Do you know about another review? Send an email to [email protected].]