Microsoft concludes global pitch

Microsoft Corp has chosen Interpublic Group (IPG) as its agency of record for advertising and global deployment while Dentsu Aegis was appointed to handle media planning, media buying and search advertising.At Interpublic Group, creative, localisation and deployment will be handled by various agency teams throughout IPG’s global network.Dentsu Aegis will handle media planning with a cross-discipline team spanning the company’s network. Prior to the appointment, Publicis Groupe's MediaVest handled media buying in the US while Interpublic's UM handled the overseas markets.In a statement, Microsoft chief marketing officer Chris Capossela said: “We are thrilled to work with the teams at IPG and Dentsu Aegis. We believe both groups will help us communicate more strategically and efficiently in a rapidly evolving marketplace.”The pitch was first launched in January this year. According to sources, Microsoft had then contacted select holding companies about putting together teams to pitch the business, including Publicis Groupe, Interpublic and WPP.