A Place For Mom is appointing Mercury as its new AOR for TV buying for the senior assisted living referral service. The remit includes TV planning, buying and attribution.  The company is probably best-known for its campaigns that feature TV host Joan Lunden speaking directly about the company's services, and this new partnership is designed to utilize data to better measure the impacts of its media spend. The company has spent $11.38 million on advertising during the first six months of 2018, while its 2017 U.S. ad budget was $24.16 million.  This new partnership follows the purchase of a majority …

Sally Beauty is selecting IBM iX to digitally overhaul the specialty beauty retailer and distributor's commerce experience.  The review's decision was based partly on digital agency IBM iX’s and sister consulting shop Bluewolf’s ability to work together seamlessly under one umbrella, according to the agency. Bluewolf will lead Sally Beauty through a complete commerce platform refresh using the Salesforce Commerce Cloud Storefront Reference Architecture while IBM iX will help the beauty specialist transform its operation into an omni-channel-focused brand. “Success in retail requires a unified approach to brand, design and technology,” said Matt Candy, Global Leader, IBM iX.”

United Rentals has appointed Droga5 New York as its new lead creative and strategic agency after a competitive pitch. Previous work has been handled by a range of agencies on a project basis. Droga5’s appointment comes as United Rentals looks to its next phase of growth and is looking to their communications strategy to help fuel that growth. The client is projecting revenues in the range of $7.3 billion to $7.6 billion in 2018 up from about $6.6 billion last year according to its latest annual report. Advertising expense in 2017 was “immaterial” per the report.  United Rentals CMO, Chris …

Business and technology publication Wired has tapped Dentsu Aegis’ Isobar to serve as digital experience agency for the upcoming Wired25, a four-day event marking the publication’s 25th anniversary next month in San Francisco.  Isobar will consult on digital experiences at the Wired25 event, create a Wired app for iOS and Android, and work with the publication to curate a series of experiments that explore emerging technology and new forms of storytelling.  The app can be used by attendees and non-attendees to experience the event and will be maintained as a mobile platform for Wired going forward.  

Beauty Pie has appointed The Beyond Collective agencies, Above+Beyond and Yonder Media, as the cosmetic brand's first AORs (creative and media respectively) following a competitive review. The startup brand’s model works as a membership program by selling high-quality domestic and skincare products at cost. Members, for instance, pay $10 a month to purchase $7.57 foundation that usually retails for $44.  While the brand has primarily relied on its founder and serial entrepreneur, Marcia Kilgore, who launched brands Bliss, FitFlop and Soap & Glory, for press and media coverage, this account assignment will introduce Beauty Pie's first traditional advertising both in the …