• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 9, 2021

Media pitch activity perked up this week with the launch of two big global media reviews, including German pharmaceutical giant Bayer and French luxury brand Chanel.

The activity could be a sign that clients are shaking off any reluctance to review their media accounts, now that the world is cautiously returning to normalcy as the pandemic recedes in many areas.

In the first six months of 2020, as the pandemic raged worldwide, COMvergence reported media pitch activity was down close to 10%. It will be interesting to see what this year’s first half numbers look like.

Bayer spends an estimated $650 million on measured media annually, with about $230 million earmarked for North America, according to COMvergence. It spends more — about $280 million — in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Chanel spends about $350 million on media, per COMvergence. Nearly $70 million is allocated to North America. The largest single portion of its spending goes to the APAC region ($170 million) followed by EMEA ($110 million).

MediaCom has been Bayer’s primary incumbent for over a decade. PHD handles some business, as well.

A dedicated WPP unit handles the Channel Account.

London-based media Consultant MediaSense is advising on both reviews.