Roche Macaulay & Partners Advertising has declined to take part in the review of the Petro-Canada English-language creative assignment started by the client early last month.
The Toronto-based agency, which has had the account since November 1994, will continue on the business until the end of February when the oil company expects to have chosen a replacement.
Petro-Canada’s 1995 media spending was just shy of $5 million, according to ACNielsen.
The company is taking a look at a selected group of agencies including TBWA Chiat/Day of Toronto, which handles Petro-Can’s direct marketing, and its French-language agency, PNMD/ Publitel of Montreal.
Ron McIntosh, Petro-Canada’s director of advertising, says he has invited four other Toronto agencies to pitch: Leo Burnett, Cossette Communication-Marketing, FCB Canada and Vickers & Benson, and may add two more shops to the list.
MacLaren McCann was also invited but withdrew because of a client conflict.
McIntosh expects the new agency to be mid- to large-sized because of the need to service Petro-Can’s offices in Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.
In addition, he says there will be a growing need for agency services because the company will be expanding its activities.
