Can IPG afford to let SCJ queer McCanns Reckitt pitch?
The continuing woes of Interpublic Group (IPG) have been a constant distraction to its networks and its biggest powerhouse, McCann-Erickson, has long suffered from the weakness of its parent company. The latest saga involves one of IPG’s biggest global clients, SC Johnson (SCJ), handled by McCann’s sibling agency FCB. SCJ, a client of 50 years’ standing that generates an estimated income of £32m, is unwilling to tolerate any conflicts within the holding company. It is understood to have a long-standing contractual agreement with IPG that blocks all its agencies from pitching for rival businesses, including Reckitt Benckiser, Procter & Gamble and Sara Lee.
