Verizon hires Wieden+Kennedy as lead social agency, ends R/GA relationship

Verizon has hired Wieden+Kennedy as its lead social media agency, the company confirmed to Ad Age. The account previously sat with R/GA, which will no longer be on Verizon’s roster, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed. R/GA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The account is estimated to be worth around $10 million, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. In June, Ad Age reported that Interpublic Group of Cos. was exploring a potential sale of R/GA. In October, IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky stated that the intended sale of R/GA is “well down the tracks” but did not identify potential buyers. W+K is expected to make use of its social media-focused Bodega unit. W+K’s remit includes Verizon’s consumer and business groups but does not include influencer marketing, according to Verizon. W+K declined to comment. More news: Marketers brace for ad impact if TikTok goes dark The agency change comes under the leadership of Leslie Berland, the former Peloton and Twitter marketer who has been Verizon’s chief marketing officer since January 2024. Verizon consolidated the digital portion of its business with R/GA in 2016. Verizon’s lead creative agency for its consumer business is WPP’s Ogilvy, which took over from IPG’s McCann in early 2024. Verizon has been ramping up its social and creator marketing. In August, it was the first brand to strike a deal with beauty creator Jools Lebron on sponsored social content. Just four days after Verizon’s initial outreach, Lebron posted a video of her trading in an old phone for a newer, more “demure” model. Competitors have made similar efforts to upgrade their social media marketing. In October, T-Mobile confirmed it had launched a social media agency review for its T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile brands. Verizon spent an estimated $3.8 billion on U.S. advertising in 2023, up from $3.6 billion the year prior, according to Ad Age Datacenter. It ranked seventh on Ad Age’s Leading National Advertisers 2024. Contributing: Brian Bonilla NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today

Verizon hires Wieden+Kennedy as lead social agency, ends R/GA relationship

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