E*TRADE announced that it has begun a search for a new agency partner to handle the creative portion of its national advertising account. The search seeks to identify a team that can leverage E*TRADE Financial's brand image while supporting the evolution of advertising and marketing communications efforts into a set of branded campaigns. Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, has been E*TRADE Group's creative agency of record since 1999 but has chosen not to participate in the review process. Select Resources International (SRI) will manage the search process.

Polaroid is talking to agencies on an invitation-only basis about its global advertising account. Polaroid's creative is presently handled by Leo Burnett, Chicago, while sibling Starcom, also in Chicago, handles media buying.

Time Warner Cable San Antonio has expanded its working relationship with Creative Civilization. Creative Civilization began work for Time Warner Cable San Antonio in January 2003. The new branding and communications initiative includes creating an umbrella theme, logo, advertising and collateral materials.

Microsoft has selected two agencies, GlobalHue (Miami) and Lopez Negrete (Houston), to handle the creative development of the company's ethnic advertising campaigns. GlobalHue will be responsible for developing Microsoft's African American advertising, and Lopez Negrete will create the company's U.S. Hispanic advertising. Microsoft selected the two new agencies after surveying an initial roster of more than 30 firms and conducting a series of invitation-only agency presentations with the 12 that qualified.

Saatchi & Saatchi has been given global creative duties on the International Olympic Committee's ad account. Other finalists competing for the account were TBWA Worldwide in New York, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, London and independent Siltanen/Keehn in El Segundo, Calif.