Bucking the Trend, Kroger Seeks Its First Creative Agency of Record

Bucking the Trend, Kroger Seeks Its First Creative Agency of Record 

Second-largest retailer in the U.S. recently sent out RFIs

Throughout the advertising industry, there is a continual fear that the traditional agency of record is going by the wayside. Indeed, as brands both pivot to more project-based work and develop their own internal teams or in-house agencies, there is legitimate concern about the future of the AOR.

Last year, Budweiser officially moved away from its AOR model, and more work created by in-house agencies (Google had ads in this year’s Super Bowl) is becoming more commonplace. Additionally, according to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), 78 percent of its members reported having some form of an in-house agency in 2018, up from 58 percent in 2013 and 42 percent in 2008.

Headshot of Doug Zanger

Doug Zanger

Doug Zanger is Adweek's Agencies editor, focusing on creativity and agencies.