Sources familiar with the matter have confirmed that GSD&M Idea City let staff know this morning that it will not be renewing its contract with client BMW after it expires on Dec. 31 of this year. From what we’ve been told, Idea City is leaving BMW, thus ending a five-year relationship the Austin-based agency had with the automaker. We’ve gotten hold of an internal memo sent by GSD&M’s president/CEO Duff Stewart that may shed some light on this decision. Read on after the jump.

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“Team,

Today we notified BMW that we have chosen not to renew or extend our
contractual agreement which ends the last day of this year. In the
meantime, we will fulfill our current obligations and help with a
transition. This decision affects our relationship with  BMW North
America and globally.

For more than five years we had the honor of helping steward the BMW
brand. We’re proud of the difference we made. From “Company of Ideas”
to the global “Joy” platform and more than a dozen vehicle launches,
we helped grow the BMW business and define a brand of innovation and
independence.

But in every journey there are changes, and we’ve reached a point
where it’s time to part ways. We will continue to work with BMW
through a transition period and then wish the whole BMW family great
success on the road ahead.

Let’s get together in the lobby at 11:00 this morning to talk further
about this decision.

Duff”