General Motors is taking a fresh look at its agencies under new marketing and media executives with potential big changes on the horizon as it seeks cost savings, according to people familiar with the matter. The automaker is said to be considering bringing portions of its agency operations in-house.
GM may soon begin an agency review for its customer relationship business. It is also evaluating its media operations and creative agencies, although no formal RFP has been issued yet for that work. MediaLink has been hired for the potential CRM agency review and has been brought on to consult on GM’s media model, according to people familiar with the matter. SnapPoint, a marketing consultancy run by Tony Weisman, the former Dunkin’ chief marketing officer and Digitas CEO, has been brought on to examine creative agencies, according to people familiar with the matter.
A GM spokesperson confirmed that the automaker is evaluating its agencies, but declined to share specifics. “The primary goal is modernizing GM’s marketing approach and how we connect with customers,” the spokesperson told Ad Age, confirming that its so-called Tier 2 and Tier 3 business—which refers to regional and local dealer-focused marketing—is not included.
MediaLink did not immediately provide comment and SnapPoint did not immediately respond to a request for comment.