• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 1, 2004

While the volume of media account turnover increased sequentially in May from April 2004, it continues to trend downward on a year-over-year basis, according to estimates released Tuesday by media auditing firm Media Analysis Plus.

Only $680 million in gross media billings changed agencies during May, a decrease of 28 percent from May 2003 and a decline of 51 percent from May 2002, the year MAP first began benchmarking media account volatility.

The biggest account to shift during the month was Miramax, which moved its estimated $250 million media account from Zenith Media to Palisades Media. The next biggest account shift was the consolidation of HSBC's $200 million account from an assortment of agencies to MindShare.

Through the first five months of 2004, the rate of media account turnover is also continuing to ebb. Through May, only $680 million in media accounts shifted agencies--down 28 percent from the same period in 2003 and down 51 percent from the same period in 2002.

Media Account Turnover: May 2004

Advertiser                    Loser          Winner        Billings 
Applebee's
Initiative         Starcom    $100 million 
Glaxo (Avandia)             Quantum   BBDO New York     $30 million 
Boeing                          KSL      Initiative     $15 million 
HSBC
Various       MindShare    $200 million 
JCPenney          Cartel Creativo    Dieste Hamel     $15 million 
Miramax                Zenith Media       Palisades    $250 million 
Sirius
Crispin Porter + Bogusky           Doner     $30 million 
Snapple                     Deutsch   Cliff Freeman     $10 million 
Starz                     Havas MPG          Fallon     $30 million


May 2004 Total                                         $680 million 
Vs. May 2003                                                   -28% 
Vs. May 2002
-51% 

Year-To-Date 2004                                    $2.342 billion 
Vs. Year-To-Date 2003                                          -23% 
Vs. Year-To-Date 2002
-49% 

Source: Media Analysis Plus' May 2004 MAP Barometer.