Cox Communications has selected MediaVest as its media planning and buying agency of record.
MediaVest will plan and buy all online and offline media for Cox for both residential and business services, and will assist the MSO with planning owned media resources such as cable television advertising via Cox Media. The decision was reached after a two-month review led by Cox's marketing and supply chain teams and supported by Boston-based search firm Pile and Co. Cox's annual billings are reportedly between $75 million and $100 million.
Prior to the consolidation, Cox's planning and buying process was regionalized, with multiple approaches from headquarters and each field location. MediaVest will serve as the single planning and buying agency, meeting the needs of each region with a consistent, national strategy.
Cox is also conducting a search for a single, national direct and digital marketing agency. This evaluation process is also being managed by Pile and Co., with negotiations will again be steered by Cox's supply chain organization. The search is expected to conclude by early first quarter, 2012.
Doner will remain Cox's brand agency.
"Cox is interested in working with world-class marketing partners who are not only thought leaders in their field, but who also have proven experience delivering business results for clients," said Cox senior vice president and CMO Mark Greatrex in a statement. "The MediaVest team offers those capabilities and we are confident that this relationship will create long-term value for the Cox brand and, more importantly, for our customers.
"This is an important step towards making us more competitive in the marketplace," Greatrex continued. "Cox is focused on establishing a marketing structure that enables stronger integration of our marketing plans, greater marketing innovation and scale and enhanced media performance."
