Sara Lee Corp., Cincinnati, OH, has named TBWA/Chiat/Day as its agency of record for its Ball Park and Jimmy Dean brands after a three-month review. Billings are estimated at between $40 million and $45 million for the combined accounts.
The work, handled from the Playa de Rey, CA, office, includes marketing strategy, brand and national consumer advertising.
Sara Lee broke off with Leo Burnett, Chicago, in November.
Three other agencies had competed for the work: Element 79, Chicago; McKinney + Silver, Raleigh, NC; Ogilvy & Mather, Chicago. In 2002, combined spending for the brands was $42.5 million.
The company purchased Jimmy Dean Sausage in 1984. The line includes the well-known roll sausage, as well as bacon, sandwiches and appetizers. Last month, the company dumped country crooner Jimmy Dean as the spokesman for the sausage company he founded more than 30 years ago in his hometown of Plainview, TX.
Ball Park has been serving up franks, sausages and corn dogs for about half a century.
In a related development, last week Sara Lee said that it had consolidated its $200 million media strategy, planning and buying activities for its U.S. brands with Starcom U.S.A., a part of Starcom MediaVest Group, a subsidiary of Publicis Groupe. The appointment took effect immediately. Starcom had been managing media planning and buying for several Sara Lee brands including Ball Park, Barely There, Jimmy Dean, Playtex and Sara Lee.
The activities had been spread across seven different agencies, Starcom, Chicago; Optimedia, Dallas; Martin, Raleigh, NC; MPG, Chicago; OMD, Chicago; Mullen, Winston-Salem, NC; and Shahid & Co., New York.
Worldwide, the company spends $500 million annually on advertising.
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