Reports: BMW and Fallon Go Separate Ways

BMW North America and the agency behind its much-ballyhooed BMW Films effort, Fallon Worldwide, are parting company, according to reports in industry trade publications.

Both Advertising Age and Adweek quoted agency CEO Pat Fallon as saying the carmaker will put its account up for review, ending a 10-year partnership. Neither BMW nor Fallon responded to inquiries by press time.

The change comes a few months after the company swapped executives in its BMW and MINI divisions, a move that brought BMW a new marketing chief. Jack Pitney, who was formerly VP of MINI, took over as VP of marketing for BMW on April 1. At the same time, James McDowell, who had held the BMW gig, took Pitney’s job at MINI. The company said the move will allow each to expand his professional experience.

Of the two, McDowell has a much more advertising-oriented background, having been lauded for the BMW Films effort and winning awards from a number of marketing organizations. Pitney’s experience leans more toward public relations, though the MINI brand has recently done some innovative work online — notably with Miami-based independent Crispin Porter + Bogusky.