• by Steve McClellan , July 13, 2017

As part of an overhaul of its local and regional marketing efforts, McDonald’s has consolidated media buying for its regional cooperative marketing groups with OMD, the Omnicom Media Group agency that already handles the fast food giant’s national media assignment.

McDonalds is also reviewing assignments for dozens of creative agencies that work for the chain’s co-op marketing groups around the country. Ad Age reported that the firm seeks to reduce the number of regional agencies its uses from 60 to about 10.

OMD declined to comment, referring calls to the client.

Terri Hickey, Senior Manager, Global Corporate Communications at McDonald's, issued this statement on the effort: 

"Building the modern, progressive company that we aspire to be involves changing the way we conduct business. In order to accelerate our efforts to engage customers across all platforms to advance our brand vision, we aim to streamline and modernize our local marketing efforts in 2018." 

Last year McDonald’s reviewed its national ad account and consolidated it with Omnicom, which created a new dedicated agency, We Are Unlimited, to service the business. 

In its latest annual report McDonald’s reported advertising expenses of approximately $735 million for 2016.