Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America plans to shift its advertising account to Irvine’s World Marketing Group sometime next year, according to trade publication AdWeek.
The automaker, part of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co., spent $455 million on ads in 2007 and $155 million for the six months through June, according to Nielsen Co.
Goodby, Silverstein & Partners based in San Francisco has been Hyundai’s lead agency.
Goodby, part of New York-based Omnicom Group Inc., won the business following a review in early 2007.
The agency is expected to work on the account during a transition to World Marketing Group.
World Marketing, known as Innocean everywhere but in the U.S., has handled marketing other than ads for Hyundai and sister company Kia Motors America Inc. in Irvine.
The agency currently handles media planning and buying, research and other duties for Hyundai and Kia.
The move is part of a shift by Hyundai in which all global marketing will be tied together.
World Marketing, headquartered in South Korea, has been tapped to lead that unified effort.
The shop in May hired Jim Sanfilippo, as its U.S. executive vice president and COO. He reports to William Y.W. Lee, chief executive of World Market.
