Johnson & Johnson is moving its U.S. buying business back to J3, a J&J-dedicated unit of Interpublic Group of Cos’ UM that currently handles planning, the company said.
The move comes only a year after J&J moved its U.S. buying to Omnicom’s OMD from J3, which had previously handled both buying and planning. It also comes only a few months after the packaged-goods and pharma giant began an international media review. At the time, the company said that it would not review North America.
“Consumer and customer insights and expectations for Johnson & Johnson brands are rapidly evolving regionally and globally. In order to adapt to and exceed expectations, Johnson & Johnson continually evaluates the resources required to meet consumer and customer needs and support growth opportunities for our brands,” said a J&J spokeswoman. “After careful consideration, we have decided to reintegrate our U.S. media buying with J3 for our consumer, pharmaceutical and medical device brands. Omnicom and OMD remain important partners for us around the world, delivering outstanding work that drives our business.”