Capital One and DDB have parted ways, according to two people with knowledge of the breakup.
The Omnicom Group-owned agency announced the loss to its employees internally today, the sources said. It is unclear what led to the decision or if Capital One has launched a review.
A DDB spokesperson declined to comment. Capital One did not respond to requests for comment.
DDB first won Capital One's U.S. creative business in 2004, taking the account from Interpublic Group of Cos.' McCann. Capital One also handed its U.K. account to DDB London, from McCann, in 2005. In December 2018, DDB then lost the U.K. business to Mother.
The U.S. business has been handled out of DDB's Chicago office.
The agency has become known for its star-studded casts in its campaigns for the "What's in Your Wallet?" company, with actor Jennifer Garner being one of its most recognizable spokespeople. DDB Chicago also created a 2015 spot where we saw NBA vet Charles Barkley, actor Samuel L. Jackson and director Spike Lee taking a road trip together, and most recently got pop star Taylor Swift to serve up a spokeswoman role.
Horizon has handled Capital One's media account since 2011. Dentsu Aegis Network's 360i won the company's digital business in 2010. Horizon said it also now handles the digital duties but it is unclear when it won that business.
According to COMvergence estimates, Capital One spent $578 million on measured media from July 2018 to June 2019.
This marks another significant loss for DDB. In September 2019, the agency lost lead creative duties on McDonald's to Wieden & Kennedy New York, with its dedicated unit for the fast food chain, We Are Unlimited, keeping a very limited piece of the business. In November, DDB Chicago lost the lead State Farm creative account to The Marketing Arm, part of Omnicom.
