Eaton’s, the department store chain representing some 100 stores across the country, has announced the creation of a full-service in-house ad agency.

The company, which has earned high praise in ad agency circles for the recent television creative developed through Toronto agency Bensimon/Byrne, will begin consolidating all advertising work through its own fully staffed agency.

While the announcement comes suddenly and revives memories of the on-again, off-again trend through the 1980s in which some major advertisers tested the concept of in-house agencies, the groundwork has been laid at Eaton’s ever since the arrival more than two years ago of Darcia Joseph as Eaton’s vice-president of marketing.

Joseph came to Eaton’s from a senior account position with now-defunct ad agency Miller Myers Bruce DallaCosta.

Joseph takes great pains to stress the decision to go in-house does not reflect dissatisfaction with Bensimon/Byrne, which handled tv and radio advertising.

In fact, Joseph says the shop’s work ‘has been outstanding.’

However, Eaton’s states: ‘The creation of a fully integrated in-house agency is just the latest step in the overall improvement of Eaton’s marketing capabilities.’

Some of the key people staffing the agency are: Pam Frostad, heading creative; Daryl Aitken, overseeing strategic and management issues relating to marketing, and Kevin Kennedy, who heads consumer promotions.

Frostad served stints at Vickers & Benson Advertising and Leo Burnett, Aitken was in account management at Ogilvy & Mather. Media Buying Services retains the media buying assignment for Eaton’s.