Nextel Begins Advertising Agency Review.

Nextel Communications Inc. announced that it is placing its creative and media advertising accounts in review. It has retained Roth Associates to consult in the search.

“Nextel has grown and expanded significantly over the past six years, as have its marketing communications needs,” said Mark Schweitzer, vice president of marketing at Nextel. “Today’s announcement does not reflect a lack of confidence with Mullen’s capabilities. We are very pleased that they will be participating in the review. As part of our ongoing strategic planning process, we conduct reviews of every significant area of our business as we have over the last 18 months with customer care, information technology operations, billing services and our technology strategy. As the company continues to set itself apart from others in the highly competitive wireless industry, we feel it’s time to review our marketing communications needs to confirm that we have the right combination of strategic and execution partnerships to meet our future needs.”

Nextel’s agency of record for brand and local retail advertising for the past six years has been Mullen and its agency for media buying has been Initiative Media. Both companies will participate in the review and will continue their roles as agencies of record while the search is being conducted.

The search will be concluded during the second quarter 2003.