Wal-Mart Casts A Large Shadow in Kansas City

Wal-Mart's review of its advertising agencies not only threatens local powerhouse Bernstein-Rein, it also threatens lots of Kansas City shops that rely on Wal-Mart projects from Bernstein-Rein. Local production houses like Bark Productions, Liquid 9, Substation K, Take 2, Third Eye Productions, Wheeler Audio, and Walter Bryant Music have all had their hands in the Wal-Mart cookie jar. And though they're not actually fighting to keep the Wal-Mart account like local 300-pound gorilla, Bernstein-Rein, the loss of that business could hurt these smaller production houses.

I'm not trying to suggest that the loss of Wal-Mart would bankrupt these shops. But Bernstein-Rein's efforts to keep work in-town has been well documented. So when the biggest agency in town loses its biggest client, who provides an awful lot of work for local production houses, the little guys will feel the results.

So on behalf of these shops and all those recent college grads seeking employment, I just want to let Bernstein-Rein know we're rooting for you.