• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, November 22, 2011

Interpublic Group media shop UM has been awarded the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company’s digital agency of record business, the agency confirmed today. The account will be handled out of the UM office in San Francisco, where the client is based. The assignment will be led by Matt Nessier, UM senior vice president, Emerging Media.   

According to Kantar Media, Ghirardelli spent $940,000 on display ads last year and $730,000 on such ads during the first half of 2011. No data was available for the company’s search expenditures. Total digital annual ad spend for the client is estimated at $3 million, per sources.      

“We were very impressed with the strategy and insights presented by UM,” stated Mona Maher, vice president of marketing for Ghirardelli. “Digital and social media are important tools in our marketing mix. As we continue to grow and invest in our premium brand, we see UM as the perfect partner to help us achieve our goals.”

Jacki Kelley, global CEO UM, stated: “We look forward to partnering with Ghirardelli as we utitilze our measurement capabilities to lead to successful business outcomes for them.”

UM sister agency Campbell-Ewald handles creative chores (which were not part of the review) for the client out of CE’s Los Angeles office. Ghirardelli just launched a new holiday season national TV spot to trumpet the return of its Peppermint Bark Squares. The new spot will run alongside another ad that broke earlier this year called "Rendezvous" designed to link Ghirardelli chocolates to a woman’s busy day.

Video of the new spot will run on selected sites as well, including Marthastewart.com, Hulu.com, Walmart.com and Target.com.

The client celebrates its 150th anniversary next year. It owns and operates 18 retail stores in seven states, including the original shop in San Francisco’s historic Ghirardelli Square.