The Royal Dutch/Shell Group this month awarded a single multi-year contract for planning and placement of advertising for three business groups, including its global lubricants unit. The company said it consolidated activities that had been allocated under a number of contracts in hopes of better organizing media campaigns.
There was a feeling that we probably had too many people in too many agencies doing different things in different areas, spokeswoman Bianca Ruakere said yesterday. We did this to streamline our media activities and to have a more cohesive global approach.
The contract, valued at $244 million, went to a team of agencies owned by London-based WPP. Scheduled to last from three to five years, it covers media planning and buying for Shells global retail business and for corporate recruitment advertising, as well as global lubricants. The latter includes the Pennzoil and Quaker State brands, its leading motor oil flags in the United States, and Helix, its primary brand in Europe and other areas.
The company said it is too early to say how much of the $244 million will be spent for lubricants, or if the new contract will lead to much change in that units approach to advertising.
Earlier this year, in an unrelated move, Shell launched a new promotional campaign for Helix.