E-Trade launches agency review as Grey New York quits account
E-Trade is on the hunt for a new creative agency following the abrupt resignation of Grey New York from the “game-changing” account.
Grey created the infamous E-Trade baby campaign at the beginning of what would be a six year partnership with the financial services company.
“After a spectacularly successful six-year run, we are resigning the E-Trade Financial account," said Grey, in an internal memo.
“We will always look back on this relationship as one of the best and most famously effective in Grey's history,” continued president Tom Myhren and COO Michael Houston.
“Thanks to everyone for all you've done on this game-changing account for Grey. Let us never forget this was the brand and the work that began our turnaround.”
However, E-Trade’s chief marketing officer Liza Landsman appeared to suggest otherwise in a statement, saying the company had launched an agency review which Grey had declined to participate in.
"We recently began a search to identify the best-suited agency to help us drive our branding & advertising through the next phase of our evolution," adage reports Lansman as saying. "Grey NY, our agency of record for the past six years, has decided not to participate in this process.”
Grey’s E-Trade baby took a refreshing look at the way children are used in ads and proved immensely popular with the US public, starring in all of the financial group’s Super Bowl commercials.
“The little man continues to be a calling card for Grey," Myhren told USA Today. "I can't tell you how many time brands come to us and say, 'We want our E-Trade baby.' "
It is unknown if the talking baby will continue to appear in future commercials.
The announcement comes just months after E-Trade marketing chief, Nick Utton, departed the company.