Wal-Mart Selects New Ad Agencies

Bentonville, Ark., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Friday it selected agencies from Interpublic Group of Cos. and France's Publicis for its advertising work. Interpublic's Martin Agency will take the lead in handling creative work on the account, while Publicis agency MediaVest will be responsible for media planning and buying.

Wal-Mart put its estimated $580 million advertising account up for review in December, just days after the departure of a key marketing executive and barely one month after a previous review assigned the work to sister Interpublic agency DraftFCB and Aegis Group media buyer Carat.

Wal-Mart also named three agencies to focus on the black, Asian and Hispanic communities in the United States: GlobalHue, IW Group and Lopez Negrete.