FOR the fourth time in less than a year, a large automotive marketer has dismissed its longtime agency after a competitive, closely watched review.

Thompson, part of the WPP Group, is the longtime agency for the Ford division.

Bozell's decision is only the most recent in a lengthy list of instances in which a longtime incumbent agency has resigned rather than take part in a review.

Two large American beverage marketers have assigned two of their longtime agencies additional product accounts.

United's dismissal of Burnett was the second sudden divorce this week between a big advertiser and its longtime agency.

It was the third time in five months that a large fast-food company had dumped its longtime agency.

Taco Bell's longtime agency is Foote, Cone & Belding in San Francisco.

This is the second time in less than two months that a marketer has suddenly dismissed a longtime agency that created acclaimed advertising.

Guinness Bass plans to bolster the budget for the campaign, with ads being created by the company's longtime agency, Weiss Stagliano Partners in New York.

McCann was a longtime agency of Reckitt & Colman, which Benckiser acquired.