• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 3, 2017

E*TRADE Financial Corp. has selected MullenLowe, part of Interpublic Group, to be its new strategic and creative agency of record after a review. The appointment is effective immediately.

The firm previously worked with MullenLowe sibling R/GA. Last summer the financial services firm hired MDC Partners’ Assembly for media duties.

Lea Stendahl, SVP, Head of Marketing at E*TRADE Financial, said, “in an industry defined by fierce competition, it is increasingly difficult to break through the clutter and articulate why we are the clear choice for digitally inclined traders and investors…We are excited to bring MullenLowe into the fold to help us do just that.”

MullenLow’s first brand campaign for the client is expected to break later this quarter.

E-Trade spent $62 million on advertising in 2015 down from $85 million in 2014, according to Kantar Media. An updated 2016 figure wasn’t immediately available.

Mark Wenneker, Chief Creative Officer at MullenLowe stated, “We found an insight, an idea, and a tone that struck a chord. And from day one we felt a connection with the entire E*TRADE team. We look forward to creating brave work with our new partners.”