GSK Completes Global Media Review, Awards Media Business to Omnicom's PHD and Mediacom

MediaCom is expected to retain the European element of the global media account, while PHD will retain the US business. The account is worth $1.7 billion.

Pharma and consumer-health giant GlaxoSmithKline has awarded its £1.1 billion global media agency account and planning business to incumbent agencies PHD and MediaCom.

The global account includes Novartis vaccine business, which GSK bought from its rival pharma company in March as part of a wider deal for $5.25 billion.

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MediaCom is expected to retain the European element of the global media account, while PHD will retain the US business. The final discussions are still underway. The account is estimated to be worth $1.7 billion (£1.1 billion).

Novartis selected Publicis Groupe’s Startcom MediaVest won $600 million global media account in December 2011 but withdrew from this summer’s consolidated review.

The Novartis media account is believed to not include Sandoz, the generic pharmaceuticals division of Novartis.

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GSK consolidated the bulk of its global media buying and planning account two years ago with WPP media agency network GroupM and Omnicom’s PHD.

Source-Medindia

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