NEW YORK — GMAC Financial Services announced earlier this week that it has selected a marketing team led by BBH New York as its new global marketing agency of record.

This move is designed to better streamline the institution's marketing efforts across borders, according to officials.

Basically, executives said this decision follows a comprehensive agency selection process. GMAC ultimately plans to strengthen its customer relationships and build its business in key markets around the world. To round out the BBH team, new talent will be hired and individuals will be selected from across the Publicis Groupe.

"This is a time of transition in the financial services industry and at our company, and we intend to clearly define our brand and establish our value proposition in the marketplace," said Sanjay Gupta, chief marketing officer.

"We need a global agency to support a broad spectrum of work — from advertising and sales promotion to digital marketing and eCommerce channels, comprehending both business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing," he continued.

Gupta added, "BBH brought together hand-picked talent in bidding for the business and demonstrated best-of-breed capability. We are confident that our new agency partner understands the changing landscape, and will offer thought-provoking creative execution and integrated marketing solutions to help ignite our brand and reach new customers."

GMAC Financial Services contracted The Rojek Consulting Group based in Cleveland to facilitate the agency review. The process narrowed the selection to five agency teams for final consideration. Marketing leaders representing GMAC's various business units participated in the review.

Since becoming an independent financial services company in late 2006, GMAC has been working to grow and diversify its revenue base, according to officials. 

"Our move to one agency of record will enable GMAC to unify its marketing plans for greater impact and a world-class customer experience," said Vinoo Vijay, brand and relationship marketing executive.

BBH New York is a full-service advertising agency. It was founded in 1982 and operates corresponding offices in London, Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai and Sao Paulo.

GM Selects Arkona to Provide Integrated Dealer Management Systems

In other recent news, Arkona, a subsidiary of DealerTrack, announced that it has signed a multi-year contract with General Motors to offer an integrated dealer management system on behalf of the automaker to the nearly 6,700 franchised dealers in the United States.

With the signing of this contract, which is effective immediately, DealerTrack becomes one of only four DMS systems providers endorsed under General Motors' IDMS program, officials highlighted.

"We are pleased to welcome DealerTrack to our IDMS program, and to recommend the DealerTrack Arkona DMS to our dealers," said Bill Powell, vice president of industry-dealer affairs at GM.

"The IDMS program provides our dealers a solution to integrate and more efficiently manage all aspects of dealership operations, including vehicle sales and inventory, parts and service, accounting, human resources and payroll, and contact management," Powell pointed out.

Mark O'Neil, chairman and chief executive of DealerTrack, also said, "We are delighted to be chosen by GM as an endorsed DMS provider as part of its IDMS technology initiative.

"This is another key milestone for DealerTrack, which recently signed its 1,000th DMS customer. This agreement opens up a wide range of growth opportunities for DealerTrack, including driving incremental sales of the DealerTrack Arkona DMS to GM dealers. We are excited to partner with GM and to offer their dealers a comprehensive and cost-effective Web-based solution," he added.