SC Johnson awards $600 million global media buying to PHD

The decision comes five months after the consumer packaged goods company shifted its media planning business to PHD from WPP’s Maxus. The media-buying account had previously been split between the two agencies, with Maxus taking the lead and PHD handling digital. The US claims about $300 million of SC Johnson’s annual global ad spending.

"We are pleased to partner with PHD for global media buying," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO, SC Johnson. "After an extensive assessment, we are confident that PHD has the capability and global footprint to help us drive greater efficiencies and reduce complexity."

The reviews took place following the arrival of Salman Amin as chief operating officer, who had previously spent 17 years at Pepsi, most recently as chief marketing officer. There, Amin had worked closely with Omnicom shops including BBDO and OMD.

The win marks the latest in a series of new-business coups for PHD since the fall arrival of CEO Nathan Brown, including Kohler and Converse.

Maxus had worked for SC Johnson since 2011, the same year the company tapped Ogilvy and BBDO to handle creative. Both agencies remain in charge of that business.