FASTSIGNS International has hired NEXT Media and Moroch Partners to handle national media buying and placement services for the United States and Canada. Previously, national media services were handled by TLP Dallas. Spending was not revealed.

Mariloff, a diamond wholesaler, has hired TM Interactive as its interactive agency of record. TMi will handle creative, online, direct mail, media planning and buying, and point-of-purchase collateral. Previously, advertising and marketing duties had been handled by various sources, including Dallas-based Quicksilver. Billings are estimated at $3 to $5 million the first year. TMi's first assignment is to develop a holiday campaign consisting of targeted direct mail, e-mail, and creating a holiday catalog for distribution in its Atlanta and Dallas showrooms. The agency will also create an e-commerce site set to launch next year.

Starcom USA has been named media agency of record for Indianapolis-based athletic specialty retailer, The Finish Line. The assignment includes all planning and buying responsibilities, which were previously handled in-house and by Echopoint Media. Spending was not released.

BBDO and DDB are the two agencies in contention for Diet Pepsi's estimated $35 million account.

TBWA/Chiat/Day, Playa del Rey, Calif., has been awarded the estimated $25 million Michelob and Michelob Light accounts.

Bartle Bogle Hegarty has been awarded Smirnoff Ice's creative account. Spending was not revealed.

Texas-based Mattress Giant Corporation has awarded broadcast media buying services to Moroch Partners. The agency will handle broadcast planning and buying for Mattress Giant's 13 U.S. markets and provide media-to-sales performance analysis through its proprietary research data tracking systems. Work on the multi-million dollar account will launch post holiday 2004.

PGR Media has won three accounts: Tom's of Maine was awarded after a formal review; RedEnvelope was won through PGR's longstanding relationship with Toth Brand Imaging; and the agency landed DCU through an alliance with Wallwork Curry. Spending was not disclosed.

Horizon Media has been awarded the media buying and planning account for Vivendi Universal Games. The account’s media spending is estimated at $25 million. The account was won after a review and will be handled by Horizon’s Los Angeles office. Kovel/Fuller, Culver City, Calif., was the incumbent. Additionally, VU Games has also chosen Black Lab, an independent agency based in Venice, Calif., to do creative work for a video game due out next year.

Technology company Electronic Data Systems has split from its agency, Fallon Worldwide.