• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, August 16, 2011

  WPP's Mindshare has been named media agency of record for Belk, a major department store chain in the Southeast, after a formal review. The client confirmed the win Tuesday.

The assignment includes all planning and buying duties for both traditional and digital media. The Charlotte, NC-based client confirmed that it spends about $33 million annually on ads.

Mindshare will run the account out of Atlanta. Barbara Mende, a managing director in the shop's office, who played a key role in the pitch, will serve as client lead on the Belk account.

In its most recent fiscal year, the 123-year-old company reported revenues of more than $3.5 billion. It operates more than 300 retail stores in 16 states.

Last fall, the retailer launched its first corporate rebranding initiative in over 40 years, adopting a new logo and the tagline: "Modern. Southern. Style."

At the time, Tim Belk, the chain's chairman and CEO, stated: "We want to reflect our increased focus on meeting the fashion needs of our modern customers. While we will continue to meet the needs of our traditional and classic customers, we are changing our brand and expanding our assortments to attract new customers who are looking for modern, updated brands and styles. Our vision is for the modern, Southern woman to count on Belk first."

The company said it planned to spend $70 million over 18 months on the rebranding effort, including the installation of new logo signs on storefronts and other identity and signage elements in-store. A new ad campaign kicked off last October.

The incumbent agency on the Belk media account was Mechanicsburg, PA-based Universal Media, an independent shop that had the assignment for well over a decade. It was not clear what other agencies took part in the review.

The review process was managed by business consultant Deloitte.