Newport Firm Expected to Get Lucky Ad Pact : Cochrane Chase Billings Could Exceed $10 Million

Lucky Stores Inc. is expected to award its advertising contract, with annual billings of more than $10 million, to the Newport Beach firm of Cochrane Chase Livingston & Co., according to Monday’s editions of Adweek magazine.

The advertising contract for Lucky’s southern foods division would help to offset the $12-million annual ad budget Cochrane Chase lost when Carl Karcher Enterprises, in a bid to boost its sagging earnings, decided earlier this year to switch its account from Cochrane Chase to Della Femina, Travisano & Partners, a large Manhattan agency.

Cochrane Chase did not deny the Adweek story but deferred discussion of the issue to Lucky officials. Lucky refused to comment on the story, saying it was premature because the deal with Cochrane Chase has yet to be approved by corporate officers at Lucky’s Northern California headquarters.

‘Best Chemistry’

According to Adweek, Cochrane Chase edged out Los Angeles competitors Ogilvy & Mather and McCann-Erickson for the Lucky account, which calls for Cochrane Chase to take over broadcast, creative and media planning from the supermarket chain’s in-house advertising department.

Larry Davis, vice president/director of advertising for the southern foods division, was quoted as saying that Cochrane Chase was “the best in creative and the best in overall presentation and had the best chemistry with our people.”

Adweek said that in taking over the advertising account, Cochrane Chase will try to give Lucky a quality image while continuing to capitalize on the discount grocery chain’s low prices. The article said the agency also will assist the chain with its aggressive growth plans. Currently the southern foods division includes 218 Lucky stores in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas.