- Andrew McMains

Pizza Hut has narrowed the field to two in its review of creative duties on its advertising account, the pizza chain has confirmed.

Still in contention are Gotham in New York and The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., according to a client representative. Both shops are units of Interpublic Group.

Final presentations are slated for Dec. 4 and 5 at the agencies, with Martin scheduled for the first day and Gotham for the second, said sources.

Each shop will get about three hours to present to executives from Pizza Hut and parent company Yum! Brands as well as franchisee officials. A decision is expected shortly thereafter.

Pizza Hut made its cut on Saturday, the client rep acknowledged. No longer in contention are Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi in New York and Omnicom Group's Merkley + Partners in New York.

The cut came more than two weeks after MDC Partners' Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners exited the review, just a day before a planned work session with the Pizza Hut.

Pizza Hut's major media spending totaled $275 million last year and more than $160 million in the first eight months of 2009, according to Nielsen. Those figures don't include online spending.

Lee Anne Morgan & Partners, with help from Alan Krinsky, is managing the search.

The winner will succeed Omnicom's BBDO in New York, which has held the account for 22 years.


Nielsen Business Media