• Adweek, Friday, December 14, 2007 11:45 AM

GlaxoSmithKline is about to consolidate its $1 billion-plus North American media account at MediaCom, insiders say, with the switch to the WPP Group shop expected in the second of next year. If true, that would mean MediaCom would about double its piece of the drug giant's ad spend.

Shops now sharing the account with MediaCom include Havas' MPG, OMD, Optimedia and Campbell Mithun. MPG has been handling brands with combined annual spending of approximately $430 million, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, including Nicorett, Ecotrin and Citrucel. OMD has been on media planning for Levitra, while Optimedia does the same for Os-Cal and other products. Campbell Mithun had Breathe Right nasal strips, among other brands.

Total U.S. spending on the GSK account was $1.1 billion in 2006 and $800 million through the first three quarters of 2007. The fly in the ointment is that GSK competitor Eli Lilly also works with MediaCom, but discussions are apparently under way about how to shift that $185 million business to another WPP-owned outfit to deal with that conflict.

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