L.A. Ad Agency Turns Its Eyes Toward Spain : Cable: D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles will shape ads to persuade cable viewers to buy “pay-per-view” coverage of 1992 Summer Olympics.

A big chunk of the 1992 Summer Olympics’ “Pay-Per-View” ad campaign was handed on Friday to the Los Angeles agency D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles.

Executives at the agency declined to reveal the size of the deal, but industry sources estimate it to be more than $10 million.

Now, DMB&B;, which already places ads for Burbank-based NBC Television, suddenly has its eyes on Barcelona. That’s where clients NBC and Cablevision will oversee round-the-clock Olympic coverage on three cable channels.

Although NBC’s coverage of the major Olympic events will be free, subscribers will pay a yet-to-be-determined fee to view extended coverage on cable channels.

Besides DMB&B;, three other ad agencies and two direct-marketing companies will also be involved in the campaign. But DMB&B;, which will shape the ad strategy and place the ads on TV and radio as well as in magazines and newspapers, is the only Los Angeles agency involved.

The ads will begin to appear in October, 1991, said James D. Helin, managing director of the agency’s Los Angeles office. Some ads will be geared toward persuading consumers to buy pay-per-view as holiday gifts. About 25 million homes are expected to have cable TV by 1992. Other ads will try to persuade owners of bars and restaurants to purchase the package.