TriHealth is awarding creative AOR duties to Empower after an informal review.  Comprised of five hospitals in Cincinnati, the company anticipated conducting a formal review, but after meeting with the agency decided to look no further for its new agency partner.  The account was previously serviced by Publicis.  Empower will be tasked with all responsibilities, including media buying and planning as well as creative. Their first work will debut in the fourth quarter.  The account size was not disclosed, but an Empower rep says this is "a top 10 account" for the shop. 

Sony has appointed Brooklyn, NY-based Big Spaceship to handle creative advertising for its master brand in the U.S., the companies have confirmed. The selection came after a formal review. Tracey Locke was the incumbent. Big Spaceship is tasked with positioning Sony as a “relevant, overarching entertainment and electronics brand.” It will be responsible for developing content across digital, social, experiential and influencer partnerships.  New work from the agency is expected to break this summer. “We needed to find a partner who could help us create a cohesive and culturally relevant presence that reflects how consumers communicate and engage with Sony,” stated …

Interpublic’s Deutsch has been named creative and advertising agency of record for H&R Block, the companies confirmed today. The selection came after a formal review. Fallon was the incumbent. Deutsch’s scope of work will include brand strategy, creative and advertising, design, production and social media.  “Deutsch has a proven track record of helping brands innovate and grow,” stated Vinoo Vijay, who joined H&R Block in April as CMO. “They’ve demonstrated great passion for our business and the people we serve. We are very excited to work with Deutsch as we transform our brand and identify …

Yum! Brands Canada has selected GroupM’s Wavemaker as its new company-wide media agency responsible for all planning and buying. The scope of Wavemaker’s remit includes digital, programmatic, search, social, television, radio and out-of-home for the client's KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell fast food chains. The agency will also supports the brands’ larger digital transformation journey, which includes investments in delivery, e-commerce and technology capabilities.

Hanover, Germany-based biscuit and cookie maker Bahlsen appointed MullenLowe Group as its creative agency for international business. The Interpublic agency will handle the work out of offices in Germany, London and Italy. Word of the appointment was first reported here.  

Cincinnati-based agency Empower has been creative and PR agency of record for OneSight an independent nonprofit committed to providing access to vision care for those in need. “After experiencing how intertwined Empower’s Creative and Public Relations teams were in bringing ideas and stories to life that elicited such powerful emotional responses we knew we found our perfect match,” stated George Alexander, senior manager, creative & communications at OneSight. “It’s interesting how things tend to always come full circle,” added Empower CEO Jim Price. “In a way, Empower was built on improving vision for all. LensCrafters was our first client 33 years ago …

Business software giant ADP has named Havas New York as its integrated agency or record following a formal review that began with nearly two-dozen agencies.  The company spent $28 million on measured media in the U.S. last year according to Kantar Media.  The incumbent agency or agencies were not immediately clear.  “Similar to how ADP helps clients unlock the potential of their people, Havas New York sits at the forefront of creativity, culture and commerce, and knows what it takes to help brands transform and win,” stated Lorraine Barber-Miller, Chief Marketing Officer at ADP.  “We wanted a world-class Agency of …

Global athletic gear company New Balance has chosen Mediahub as its new media agency of record for its U.S. business. Mediahub’s work for the brand will include supporting product launches this summer using creatively led approaches to strategic communications planning and media buying.  The account will be run out of Boston, which is also the global headquarters for New Balance.  “We are excited to welcome Mediahub to our North American marketing team, as their commitment to creativity and challenging the status quo aligns with our vision,” stated Meg Johnson, director of North America marketing at New Balance. “Mediahub’s award-winning Radical + …

Ally Financial has selected MediaCom as its new media agency after a formal review. The incumbent was Spark Foundry, which participated in the review along with Wavemaker, and 360i. The client spent an estimated $54 million on measured media in the U.S. last year according to Kantar Media. The bank has also confirmed that it is reviewing its digital and creative accounts. In an unusual move, the client is paying finalists a five-figure stipend to help defray the costs of the participating in the review. Andrea Brimmer, Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer at …

IPG media shop Initiative has won global media planning and buying duties for Converse, a division of Nike. The win came after a formal review. PHD, part of Omnicom, had previously handled the account, but did not participate in the review, according to Adage.com, which had the story first. Converse spends about $20 million annually in the U.S. on measured media. Global spending was not immediately available.