Unilever is also evaluating its agency relationships in 13 other countries, including India and China. WPP, the parent of Mindshare, and fellow holding companies Omnicom and Interpublic, all have units that work for the marketer around the globe. All three will be invited to participate in the review process, Unilever said.

A U.S. representative for Mindshare said the agency would defend the U.S. business. The agency also works for the marketer in India and China and other countries.

Unilever's total U.S. ad spending in 2008 was $2.4 billion, according to Advertising Age, making it the nation's sixth-largest spender. Also, its pan-European spending exceeds $1 billion.

Laura Klauberg, Unilever vice president, global media, said: "As we drive media innovation and improved value for Unilever, and as dramatic changes in the media landscape reshape our communication needs, we are continuing to evaluate the service and capabilities of our media agency partners across all disciplines."

Unilever said it conducts media reviews periodically, per company policy.

In Europe, the review covers the United Kingdom, France and Italy, among other countries. It will also affect Russia, Canada and Argentina.

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