• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, October 15, 2012

Retail giant Macy’s has awarded Aegis Group’s Carat its estimated $500 million broadcast and digital media planning and buying assignment after a five-month review, the client has confirmed.

The incumbent was WPP’s MEC, which has handled the business since 2007. Also contending were Interpublic’s Initiative, Publicis Groupe’s Starcom and Digitas, which teamed in a joint pitch.

Macy’s CMO Martine Reardon commented that the company’s decision “came down to the new insights and ideas Carat presented for today's ever-changing media landscape and to our confidence in their people. We look forward to having Carat join our team.”

As for MEC, Reardon said: “We are very grateful to MEC for many years of partnership and support… We appreciate their significant contribution to the evolution of our brand.”

Neither Carat or MEC officials could be reached for comment.

The retailer put the business into review in June, indicating at the time that it was company policy to assess agency assignments from time to time.

The scope of work does not include newspaper buying, which Macy’s will continue to handle in-house. Neither did the review include the company’s creative assignment, currently handled by MEC sibling agency JWT, New York.

In September JWT launched a new national campaign for the client that includes a series of TV spots and online content with the tagline “What’s in Store?” The content, ranging in length from 15 to 60 seconds, features a number of the celebrities who have product lines sold by retailer, including Justin Bieber, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Carlos Santana, Martha Stewart, Taylor Swift and Donald Trump.

Joanne Davis Consulting was hired by the client to assist with the review process.