MediaBuyerPlanner: On May 9, General Motors' retail marketing agencies Publicis Groupe's Martin Retail Group and Interpublic Group's Jay Advertising will join to create the Martin-Jay Retail Group, which will oversee dealer marketing for the company's Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands - representing about $200 million in overall media spending - writes Adweek.

"We think this is a pretty good solution for the division, the agencies and the dealer groups," said Brian Sweeney, GMC-Buick-Pontiac integration general manager. "We have two strong heritage retail service agencies that are coming together." By combining the agencies' services, the new group can maintain better continuity, Sweeney said. "We have 357 local marketing groups. This way a lot of those relationships will be maintained."

The agreement will not affect national creative assignments that are managed by the national lead agencies, according to Sweeney.