• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, June 12, 2017

American Express has hired mcgarrybowen for global brand creative development duties as well as U.S. execution, the financial services giant has confirmed. 

Those duties had been previously handled by WPP’s Ogilvy during a relationship that has spanned decades. Ogilvy remains on the roster, however. 

Amex spent about $500 million on ads in the U.S. last year according to Kantar Media. 

The assignment was moved without a formal review and came after a series of executive changes at the client including the departure of longtime CMO John Hayes. In February of last year the firm announced a restructuring of its marketing department under Mike McCormack, who was named VP Marketing Operations. That restructuring was part of a broader transformation initiative designed to help the company run its business more efficiently going forward. 

As for the choice of mcgarrybowen, Amex didn’t get into details but it’s widely known that the agency’s Founder and Global Chairman Gordon Bowen led the development of Amex’s iconic “Membership Has Its Privileges” campaign back when he worked at Ogilvy. 

Amex issued this statement: “McGarryBowen will be working with us on developing a new global brand platform that will bring together our brand and product-related work under one umbrella.  The new platform will capture the innovative work that is underway throughout our company and reflect the diversity of our business here in the U.S. and internationally.” 

Ogilvy remains on the roster and will lead international execution and also continue with some current U.S. work, per the client.