• by Larissa Faw , March 1, 2016

Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) is breaking up with its AOR Wieden + Kennedy after six years.

"It has been a great partnership and as these things do go, it is now the right time for both the agency and FCA to seek other pursuits," stated Olivier Francois, CMO for FCA Global.

It is unclear whether FCA will hold a formal review to replace W+K. The automaker is increasingly dividing up its brands among various shops. To that end, FCB, Chicago has been named AOR for Fiat in North America, replacing The Richards Group, which will continue to serve as AOR for the Ram brand, as reported in Ad Age.

The split is likely driven more by financial reasons than creativity differences. W+K's partnership with Fiat Chrysler was responsible for several iconic campaigns including Imported From Detroit for Chrysler, which featured the 2011 EMMY-winning commercial "Born of Fire" and 2012 follow up "Halftime in America.”

"Making your mark in the automotive category isn't easy. But we're damn proud of the one we made with FCA. We're even more proud of the company's turnaround. Parting ways is always hard, but sometimes it's just the right call. We wish FCA all the best," stated Tom Blessington, managing director for Wieden + Kennedy, Portland.