- Steve McClellan, Adweek

The Home Depot said it has kicked off an estimated $580 million media review.
 
Four incumbents are defending Home Depot assignments, according to a Home Depot rep. The incumbents are:
 
-- Interpublic Group's Initiative, which handles most of the client's traditional buying and planning and is believed to also be pitching digital chores.
 
-- Publicis Groupe's Digitas, the digital media incumbent, which is defending that assignment, with, per sources, help from sibling Starcom.
 
-- Independent Response Mine Interactive, which handles search ads.
 
-- IPG's Newspaper Services of America, which is defending its portion of the account.
 
The retailer declined to identify nonroster contenders, though sources said WPP Group's Mindshare is involved in the review.
 
The media contest follows the Home Depot's completion last month of a creative review. The Richards Group successfully defended.
 
Home Depot is looking to reposition itself in an increasingly competitive marketplace that includes Lowe's, Wal-Mart and Sears, as well as hardware outlets, paint stores and appliance chains.
 
The company's initial RFP in the creative review noted that in the past five years it has "lost its competitive advantage on all key brand drivers" and now compares unfavorably to Lowe's on shopping experience and is about equal in terms of products, inspiration, price and experience.