Bupa's new digital focus

By AdNews | 16 January 2009

SYDNEY: Bupa is sold on the potential for digital advertising in the wake of the health insurance giant pitching its digital account at the same time as it conducts a review of its ad agency roster as reported here yesterday.

"Digital is an incredibly important medium for our business," said Arriarne Kemp-Bishop, Bupa Australia head of corporate affairs.

"We felt it was worthwhile extending the scope of this element of the pitch beyond the current incumbents, to also include these specialist digital agencies."

This is the first time Bupa has pitched separately for the digital portion of the business.

At present Clemenger and BMF, whose job-sharing of Bupa's overall advertising account is under review, complete all the mammoth company's online creative components, following Bupa's merger with MBF last year.

However, this will almost certainly change if either Mark (M&C Saatchi's digital agency), Bullseye or New Dialogue - the three agencies contesting the pitch alongside Clemenger and BMF for all digital creative - come up to scratch.

"We are applying the same pitch process for the overall creative work and the digital work, with both processes well advanced," Kemp-Bishop said.

"We're really happy with how the processes are running, and we are not opening any component of the pitch up to any other agencies

Bupa is one of the largest health insurance companies in the country, with three million Australians signed up to its insurance offering, which is provided through brands HBA, MBF and Mutual Community.

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