Cineplex has picked Omnicom Media Group’s PHD as its new media agency partner.

PHD will be responsible for all of Cineplex’s media strategy, planning and buying. The assignment, which is effective immediately, came after a competitive RFP and review process. Media duties were previously handled by Northern, though the company also occasionally handled its buys internally.

Sara Moore, EVP and CMO for Cineplex, says PHD presented the people, tools and expertise to “navigate a dynamic category and media market, while setting the stage for future growth.”

Cineplex is also continuing on its path to recovery from the pandemic, during which most of its movie theatres and entertainment facilities had to remain closed for lengthy periods of time. According to the company’s most recent financial results, theatre attendance was up 34% year-over-year in Q3, though it remained 36.7% lower than the same period pre-pandemic. Through the first nine months of the year, theatre attendance was up 193.2% compared to 2021, but 41.8% lower than in 2019.

In the spring, PHD was named media AOR for Popeye’s in Canada and the U.S. as part of a North American review conducted by parent company Restaurant Brands International. The agency has also spent 2022 finishing onboarding the local business for some global reviews completed late last year, including Unilever and Chanel.