Ford just tapped this agency in the midst of global review

Ford launched its global review in April this year putting incumbent WPP’s Global Team Blue (GTB) under peril, especially at a time when the group deals with naming Martin Sorrell’s successor.

Now, a few months later, Ford has tapped Wieden & Kennedy New York for a short-term marketing assignment that comes amid its massive global agency review, the automaker confirmed to Ad Age. The project is unrelated to the larger review, but it gets W&K on Ford’s roster and could position the independent agency to gain more business. W&K is one of three shops pitching in the global review, along with WPP’s Global Team Blue, the incumbent, and Omnicom’s BBDO, according to people familiar with the matter.

“Ford is launching a US brand campaign in mid-October and we are working with Wieden & Kennedy as a creative partner with WPP to activate the campaign,” says Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake. “This is consistent with how we have worked at times in the past decade with agency partners working alongside WPP.”

She declined to share details on the campaign. W&K did not respond to a request for comment.

Flake said the review “should wrap up in the fourth quarter,” but declined to elaborate further on the process, including about which agencies are participating.

Ford has continuously worked with WPP agencies since 1943.