Recently in Martin Agency Category

Cash is something everyone's looking for more of nowadays. So it makes smart business sense for Riverwoods, IL.-based Discover Card to push the point that it offers cash back on every purchase. And that's exactly what Discover and ad agency the Martin Group in Richmond, Va., are doing in new TV and print executions debuting his week. The commercials aren't, however, telling consumers to stash the cash they get back for a really rainy day. Rather the commercials suggest those getting cash back should opt for some little indulgences, like a new pair of shoes, a ride on carnival bumper cars or an enjoyable meal out at restaurant.

While it might not be prudent for anyone to spend lavishly at this moment in time, we all know it's imperative to get the economy going again -- something that won't happen very quickly unless people permit themselves to enjoy at least a few of life's little pleasures. So while pointing up a virtue of owning the card, Discover is doing something with this campaign that might help the economy get back on track.

Is Ogilvy/Chicago about to get CDW, the Vernon Hills-based computer parts reseller? Though it seemingly has taken forever to name a winner in the account review that is believed to have been narrowed to Ogilvy and the Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., sources say it now may be just a matter of ironing out the last details of a contract between client and new agency of record. Word is that the CDW business will involve a lot of below-the-line work, which means the account may actually be a good fit with the Ogilvy operation here in Chicago, which is pretty well staffed in that department. And though it's merely circumstantial evidence at best, we've been told Ogilvy/Chicago Chief Creative Officer Joe Sciarrotta has seemed pretty chipper in recent days. We doubt it's the water that's causing the upbeat mood. Maybe it's something called CDW?

Sources say Vernon Hills-based CDW, the computer supplies reseller, has narrowed its search for a new ad agency to two finalists: the Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., and Ogilvy & Mather/Chicago -- two agencies that are vastly different in size and public profile. Martin, of course, is famously known as the shop that won the huge WalMart account from DraftFCB/Chicago, which had the business for just a few weeks. O&M has seen various pieces of business come and then go over the past several years, including Quiznos, Kraft Foods' Oscar Mayer unit and, of course, a large chunk of Sears business. O&M/Chicago remains best known for its recent "real beauty" work on the Dove beauty brand.

Gone from the CDW review, it appears, is DDB/Chicago, which had been pushing hard, we were informed, to remain in the running for business. No indication of when CDW will announce a winner.