For those of you who stay up to date on how DaimlerChrysler spends their hard-earned advertising dollars, the company has announced today that it has awarded Paris-based CLM/BBDO its $45 million account for the global introduction of the Mercedes C-Class.

To capture the coveted account, CLM/BBDO beat out two other finalists - London Agency Shop and Merkley & Partners, all of which are part of the Omnicom Group of agencies.  Earlier rounds of the pitch involved fending off competition from DaimlerChrysler agencies in Spain, Italy and Germany.

The C-Class introduction, expected to launch in early 2007, is a fairly large departure for the brand.  Rather than creating local and regional advertising as they've done in the past, DaimlerChrysler plans to implement a single campaign that will run globally, a move they hope will build a more consistent brand as well as help streamline their marketing budget.

For more info on DaimlerChrysler's new ad campaign, head over to Advertising Age for the full article.