Media Bytes
CALLAWAY AWARDS $35 MIL. MEDIA TO KSL
LOS ANGELES Independent KSL Media has been assigned the estimated $35 million Callaway Golf media business, the agency said. Earlier in the month, the client's creative account was reassigned to Young & Rubicam Brands.
The client had said it would retain the creative and media incumbent, Interpublic Group's Dailey & Associates, West Hollywood, Calif., for media buying. But "the client attempted a last-minute renegotiation and the parties could not reach an agreement, " said Mike Perdigao, executive vice president and managing director at Dailey. The Carlsbad, Calif., client would not comment.
KSL has been handling media for Callaway's Top-Flite golf balls and was asked to take on the company's entire account after an informal review that involved other undisclosed shops, said David Sklaver, KSL president. He added that the account would be serviced from KSL in New York.
"We were assigned the work based on the performance of Top-Flite," Sklaver said. "We've had the best in-market performance, and part of the success is the effectiveness of our planning and buying, innovation, cost-effectiveness and level of service. This was not just about black-and-white quantitative decisions, but a combination of a whole host of things."
Sklaver indicated that the Carlsbad, Calif. client appreciated how KSL created an "equity and ownership position" for Grey Goose vodka via its sponsorship of the Golf Channel's 19th Hole program. "The first thing we are going to do for Callaway is create ownership opportunities like that," he said.
Sklaver said he knows Jerry McGee, who will lead creative at Y&R, and looks forward to working with the agency. "Hopefully, they'll do great work and we will all prosper as a result of it," he said.
Louise Bradford, executive vice president at KSL, will continue as the shop's key person on the account, according to Sklaver.
Contact: David Sklaver 212.352.5852