The review presents a great opportunity for a holding company to gain traction with Pfizer, given that it now works with a large number of agencies. Stores currently working on his business include WPP’s VMLY&R, Gray, EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker; Interpublic Group of Cos.’ FCB and IPG Health; Omnicom’s Rapp, PHD, TBWA\WorldHealth and more, according to Ad Age’s Data Center.
MediaLink would handle the review, which could lead Pfizer to select more than one holding company, according to people familiar with the matter.
Pfizer did not respond to calls for comment on time. Medialink could not immediately be reached for comment.
Pfizer spent $2.8 billion on global advertising in 2022, up from $2 billion in 2021. Much of the New York-based company’s spending is concentrated in the United States, where it spends heavily on pharmaceutical advertising.
Some of that spending went toward promoting Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, with celebrity-fueled marketing which included Charlie Puth, Martha Stewart, Questlove, Michael Phelps, Pink and others.