McDonald’s has taken its regional creative account out of FP7 and handed it to Leo Burnett without a pitch.
The move, which has been confirmed by both agencies, follows FP7’s retention of the McDonald’s account last October after a fiercely-fought final two-way shoot-out between the same two agencies.
It is not known why FP7 has been dropped without a new pitch as the McDonald’s Middle East Development Company was not available for comment. Neither of the agencies would discuss the decision.
Leo Burnett holds the McDonald’s account elsewhere in the world and during last year’s agency review it had been eager to have the Middle East return to the fold, despite FP7 having held the regional account for almost 17 years.
Last year’s pitch had involved FP7, Leo Burnett, DDB and TBWA\Raad.
UPDATE
McDonald’s has officially confirmed that Leo Burnett will now handle its regional creative account.
In a statement sent to Campaign, it added that FP7 would remain the company’s agency of record in some local markets. McDonald’s did not specify which markets these would be, stating only that the matter was being discussed “with both agencies and our local partners, to ensure the appropriate decision is made”.
McDonald’s Middle East & Africa managing director, Yousif Abdulghani, said the move to Leo Burnet in the region was “part of a wider corporate alignment, drawing on the international experience and worldwide relationship with Leo Burnett in other parts of the world”.
