A planned global consolidation of corporate and consumer businesses by 3M Canada’s Minnesota-based parent could see one more agency added to the roster.

Vickers & Benson Advertising of Toronto has been the 3M Canada agency for about 20 years.

Genesis Media handles media buying.

Anderson Advertising of Toronto handles advertising for 3M’s pharmaceutical division.

Bryon Tribe, manager of corporate communications for 3M in London, Ont., says the review for a global agency was initiated by the u.s. company because it uses several u.s. agencies for its corporate and consumer work, including cme, its corporate agency-of-record.

The review will include all incumbent agencies in addition to others not currently being used by 3M.

1996 start-up

The process is expected to take until mid-year, with the new agency taking over in 1996.

Tribe says a consolidation would be more efficient for the u.s., and also standardize advertising around the world for accounts valued at US$40 million that are now with 25 agencies.

Half of all 3M business takes place outside the u.s., and Tribe says the international companies will have a strong voice in the consolidation review.

He says the consolidation would not mean giving up v&b and Anderson because the corporate and consumer units are just a small part of 3M, which has 55 divisions and 60,000 products and technologies – everything from business and household products to medical and industrial.

Diversity

This diversity makes it hard for consumers to identify 3M as the company behind so many everyday products, and is the reason for a corporate awareness campaign to be launched later this year.

Advertising efforts for 3M Canada have not been significant since 1992 when the corporate Olympic sponsorship program was dropped after eight years.

The themeline, ‘Innovation working for you,’ that was introduced during 3M’s last Olympic sponsorship will be the foundation of the campaign.

3M has 87,000 employees and operations in 68 countries. PS