Retailer TJ Maxx has named MullenLowe, Boston, as its new creative agency of record, according to multiple people close to the situation. Agencies involved in the pitch include 72andSunny, TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York and Venables Bell & Partners. The review was conducted by SRI Consulting, which referred comment to TJ Maxx.

A spokesperson for the retailer said only: "We haven't announced a new agency partner at this time."

MullenLowe, 72andSunny and TBWA/Chiat/Day New York declined to comment. Venables Bell & Partners wasn’t immediately available for comment.

In June, it was reported the home goods and clothing company parted ways with its previous agency partner, Grey Group, which didn’t participate in the pitch. The pair had worked together for 12 years.

This is a reunion of sorts for MullenLowe and Framingham, Mass.-based TJMaxx, which parted ways in 2009 after nearly a decade of working together. According to a report by Kantar, U.S. media spending for TJ Maxx was $17 million in 2020, a big drop from  $90 million in 2019. Ad Age Datacenter ranked TJX Cos., which includes other brands under the corporate umbrella, such as Home Goods and  Marshall's, the country's 184th largest advertiser with total ad spending, including media and other channels, amounting to $234 million in 2020 and $344 million in 2019.

TJX Cos.' second-quarter earnings report shows that the company's total net sales were $12.1 billion. According to Reuters, the unit that includes TJ Maxx and Marshall's has seen same-store sales rise 18% in the U.S. from pre-pandemic levels as households stock up on apparel in preparation for back to work and school.

TJ Maxx is a significant win for MullenLowe, which lost JetBlue as a client in May after 11 years working with the airline company. MullenLowe Los Angeles was also recently named AOR for National Hockey League team The Arizona Coyotes.