• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, January 7, 2014

Burger King Corp. has named agency Code and Theory as its digital agency of record for North America and has launched a search for a global lead advertising agency of record, the company said late Tuesday afternoon.

In the U.S. the fast-food chain spent $258 million on ads in 2012, which was down from the $304 million it spent in 2011 according to Kantar. For the first nine months of 2013, the company spent around $205 million. Digital spending and global ad expenditures weren’t immediately available.

The fast-food chain also confirmed that it has ended its relationship with Mother, the independent ad shop that had been its agency for about a year.

A BKC rep said that the company and the agency had mutually decided to part ways. Mother worked with the client on several campaigns including one for the chain’s Satisfries French fries.

The search for the new ad agency will be led by new Global CMO Axel Schwan with support from North America CMO Eric Hirschhorn. “BKC is conducting a search for a global lead advertising agency of record that will strengthen the brand’s image around the world,” the company rep said.

While the search for a global AOR gets underway the company stressed that it will continue to work in North America with The Pitch Agency. The shop and client have worked together for more than a decade.

Code and Theory is an independent New York digital agency that was founded in 2001 by Brandon Ralph and Dan Gardner. It also has offices in San Francisco and London. The hiring of the agency, the BKC rep said, “Represents an increased investment in meeting the growing consumer demand for brand engagement and interaction through digital platforms.” The agency, the rep added, “has demonstrated a deep understanding of adaptive content and the ability to create dynamic brand touch points with social as a foundation.”

Word of BKC’s latest agency roster moves follow last month’s decision by the company to shift its North America media agency assignment to Horizon Media after a review. The incumbent on that business was Publicis Groupe’s Starcom.