estern Union has chosen four agencies to move into the final round of competition to handle its advertising responsibilities. The four agencies participating in the next phase of competition are Publicis Groupe�s Leo Burnett USA, Chicago; Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York, which is 49 per cent-owned by Publicis; Omnicom Group�s TBWA/Chiat/Day, San Francisco; and Interpublic Group of Companies� Campbell Mithun, Minneapolis. Agencies will present ideas and creative with a decision expected in the next four weeks, the executive said.

Western Union, owned by First Data Corp, had worked with JWT, part of WPP Group, since the spring of 2002. In 2003, Western Union spent $15.4 million in measured media, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, but that figure is expected to increase in the coming year. Western Union, based in Denver, provides money transfers to consumers in more than 195 countries.... more