The work traveling to the Omnicom shop is backed by $25-30 mil. in media spending

Zimmerman Advertising said it has been chosen as lead agency for the George Foreman brand of household appliances.

The Omnicom Group agency in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said it won the business, previously handled mainly in-house, following a review.

Per Nielsen, the client spends about $5 million annually in major measured media, but that total does not include infomercials, which are a major part of the assignment, along with short-form ad development and media buying. The business moving to Zimmerman, including long-form paid media, totals in the $25-30 million range, sources said.

Evanghela Hidalo, president and general manager at the Americas division of brand parent company Applica Consumer Products, said retail-focused Zimmerman’s track record for driving sales won the day.

Added agency creative chief Zev Auerbach: “Applica has a very aggressive vision for the George Foreman brand, but vision without action doesn’t mean anything. That’s what we have been tapped to do for George Foreman – total brand activation. Despite all of the success the brand has already achieved in the category, we believe their greatest asset remains its untapped potential.”

New work is slated to break later this quarter.

Zimmerman closed out 2009 on a high note, winning the $15 million ad business of the Captain D’s seafood chain following a review.