• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, August 22, 2016

New York-based ad shop Barker has retained the creative assignment for the SlimFast account, the companies confirmed Monday. 

SlimFast spends around $50 million a year on ads. 

The business was awarded after a competitive review that included MDC Partners shops CP+B and Doner as well as The Marketing Arm and VaynerMedia, according to the client. 

Barker, which has held the account as creative AOR since 2014, will continue to handle branding, marketing strategy and creative across TV, print, and digital for the SlimFast brand and extensions. Chief Media, also in New York, handles media buying and planning. 

“As an aggressive, high-growth company, we conducted partner reviews across all of our lines of business, including advertising and marketing,” stated SlimFast CEO Chris Tisi. “Each of the finalist agencies presented compelling work, but Barker came through again with the strategy and creative we felt would move us to the next level more quickly.” 

According to agency founder John Barker, “fewer than 10% of incumbent agencies retain accounts. ... We beat very long odds against some of the best agencies in the business because we understand this consumer and know how to connect and generate action.” 

New work for SlimFast from the agency is set to launch in the fall. According to the agency, its original campaign for the brand, “It’s Your Thing,” which is still in the market, has helped reverse years of declining sales for the brand, including a 90% rise in sales at Walmart. 

SlimFast is owned by private-equity company Kainos, which acquired the weight-loss products company in 2014.