• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, January 27, 2016

Cleveland-based KeyBank has hired The Richards Group as its creative and media (including digital) ad agency after a review, the bank confirmed Wednesday. 

The Richards Group, based in Dallas, has formed a special unit dedicated to handling the KeyBank business. The unit will be headed by agency principal David Hall. 

KeyBank had hired Campbell Mithun for ad and media duties back in 2011, although it was not immediately clear whether that agency was the most recent incumbent. 

KeyBank is the principal subsidiary of KeyCorp, one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies. Key has assets of approximately $95.1 billion. It provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals as well as small and medium-sized businesses via the KeyBank brand. 

"We took some wise counsel from Stan Richards in making our decision," said Tom Wennerberg, executive vice president of marketing for KeyBank. "Stan advised us during the review to hire an agency, not a campaign. And that's what we did. The Richards Group as an agency, and especially the team that will be working with us, has a long and wonderful history of being true partners."