he impending merger of Sprint Corp and Nextel Communications has set their respective ad agencies preparing to battle it out for their share of a nearly $1-billion account. Omnicom Group�s TBWA/Chiat/Day has been Nextel�s agency and Publicis Groupe�s Publicis & Hal Riney, Sprint�s. Riney recently hired Michael Goefft as senior vice-president and group account director on the Sprint business. Goefft, who was senior vice-president and group client leader on the $100-million global Chevron Texaco account at WPP Group�s Young & Rubicam, San Francisco, worked through the oil giant�s merger and the account review following consolidation.

Goefft will partner James Gassel in co-managing the agency�s Sprint account. The shop has developed a long-running campaign featuring the spokesman in a black trench coat, christened the Sprint Man. TBWA/Chiat/Day of New York is also bracing itself to keep or gain a share of the combined account. TBWA�s campaign for Nextel is centered on the word "Done." ... more