David Yurman Names PHD Global Media Agency of Record

The David Yurman Company has wrapped up a four-month-long traditional and digital media review led by the media consultancy ID Comms. The business includes four markets—the U.S. and Canada in the Americas and France and the U.K. in Europe. The luxury jewelry brand operates 49 retail stores globally, and at more than 300 authorized locations worldwide.

The brand’s 2024 billings are estimated to be between $50 million and $60 million, according to an anonymous source familiar with the pitch.

PHD attracted the luxury retailer by displaying a “singular understanding” of its brand and audiences, according to a statement shared with ADWEEK. Omnicom Media Group (OMG) and its agency brands last year embraced an agency as a platform (AaaP) model. The concept centers the group’s Omni software, a global operating system that allows OMG agencies to scale their operations in various geographies.

“In searching for a media partner, we wanted a group that deeply values the brand’s heritage and vision, understands how to reflect our creativity, advances our spirit of innovation across data and media platforms, and ensures our investment is effective and efficient. PHD clearly met the brief with a unique balance of art and science, and a strong focus on collaboration and partnership to fuel continued growth for David Yurman,” CMO Carolyn Dawkins said in a statement.

The allure of PHD’s agency as a platform model

The AaaP operating model offers David Yurman a tool to centralize its global media planning, without ignoring insights from local marketplaces.

“What’s unique about it is it was a mix of brand and performance,” said Yasmena Depko, the ID Comms consultant who led the review. Depko noted the Omni platform‘s functionality and interface, telling ADWEEK that when demoed during the pitch, the system felt “usable.”

PHD’s expertise with luxury brands was another driving factor. It won the Chanel business in October 2021.

The brand invited mSix&Partners to defend the business, according to a source with knowledge of the review, but the incumbent declined. Last month, mSix merged with its former partner, another WPP-backed agency The&Partnership. The combined shops now make up one agency brand called T&Pm.

“We were honored to have had the opportunity to partner with David Yurman over the past eight years, working together to drive impressive growth for the business. While we have valued our partnership, we chose not to participate in the recent review process. We wish them the best as they move forward,” Kim Sivillo, CEO, Media, T&Pm wrote to ADWEEK.

David Yurman also invited the media agencies Havas, IPG and PMG to participate, a source confirmed.

“From our first meeting, the David Yurman team made it clear that they were looking for a true collaboration between agency and marketer, equally focused on long-term gains as short-term performance wins,” said PHD U.S. CEO Michael Solomon in a statement.

The win comes at the end of Solomon’s first year helming PHD, and as the agency has realized a new degree of success.

PHD, which ADWEEK recognized earlier this year as its 2024 Global Media Agency of the Year, employs 6,500 employees across 81 offices and 74 countries. Last year it won Uber’s $500 million global business, and media duties for the global leader in baked goods manufacturing Grupo Bimbo. Just this week it announced winning media duties for Firehouse Subs, a Restaurant Brands International (RBI) portfolio brand.