Kenvue, the consumer health company that markets brands such as Tylenol, Neutrogena and Listerine, has launched a global influencer agency review, Ad Age has learned. 

Holding company PR and influencer agencies, as well as independents, are competing for the business, with Kenvue expected to hire multiple shops to support the account, according to a person familiar with the matter. There are multiple regional incumbents on the account. Kenvue declined to comment on the incumbents and the agencies pitching the account.

Also read: Creator and influencer marketing trends to know

The influencer review follows recent changes to Kenvue’s agency roster. In May, the company awarded creative work across select brands to Interpublic Group of Cos.’ FCB and Omnicom’s BBDO, while continuing to work with Stagwell’s Doner.

Last month, Kenvue hired Omnicom to run its global content factory, a consolidated commercial and content production operation that will handle work on the marketer’s ads and most other content. Kenvue told Ad Age at the time that Omnicom’s scope of work may include helping in the production of some creator or influencer content too, though creators may continue to use their own facilities in many cases.

Building on those appointments, Kenvue is “continuing to look at our agency ecosystem,” a company spokesperson said in a statement, when asked about the influencer review. “Agency reviews are part of how we ensure we’re making an even greater impact on the lives of consumers and customers.”

R3 is believed to be leading the review, according to a person familiar with the situation. The company was not available for comment.

The U.S. is Kenvue’s biggest market, accounting for 44% of its $15.4 billion in 2023 net sales, according to its latest annual filing. Kenvue sales dropped 0.3% to $4 billion in the second quarter. The company had U.S. measured media spending of $305 million in the first half of 2024, according to Vivvix, including paid social data from Pathmatics. That compares to $400 million spent for all of 2023. 

Kenvue, which formed last year as a spinoff of Johnson & Johnson’s former consumer health and personal care businesses, reported worldwide ad spending of $1.35 billion in 2023, down 0.5% from 2022. 

Many marketers and agencies have been investing further in influencer marketing in pursuit of Gen Z audiences.

In July, Publicis Groupe announced plans to buy Influential, the world’s largest influencer marketing agency by revenue. WPP acquired two influencer shops, the Goat Agency and Obviously, in 2023, after buying influencer marketing agency Village Marketing in 2022. (Both Obviously and Village Marketing became a part of VML.) In November 2023, Stagwell acquired Movers+Shakers, and in July the holding company purchased influencer marketing and social commerce agency Leaders, which is based in Israel.