MEDIA/MARKETING : Thrifty Gives Heil-Brice Interim Job as It Ponders Who Will Get Account

While Thrifty Drug Stores ponders where to place the creative portion of its $15-million advertising account, it has awarded an interim project to a San Clemente firm, Heil-Brice Advertising Inc.

The agency is one of three finalists for the account, which Thrifty has been reviewing for five months--an unusually long time.

The other finalists are both in Los Angeles: Asher/Gould and Cohen/Johnson.

Heil-Brice was selected in August to handle the account for Carpeteria Inc., one of the nation’s largest floor-covering dealers. The agency also counts among its clients the Food 4 Less supermarket chain.