SYDNEY: Vodafone has moved its $15m advertising account to its global agency J Walter Thompson just 10 months after appointing Lowe Hunt to the account. The decision is aimed at bringing Vodafone more closely in line with the companyÕs global brand positioning. ÒWeÕre a global company, so we want a global approach to the market, and weÕre bringing a consistent approach to the global brand in Australia,Ó said Deborah Howcroft, director of people & brand at Vodafone. ÒWe saw it coming months ago,Ó said Bob St Julian, MD of Lowe Hunt. ÒWe always knew the account was perilous because it was out of alignment, so every day we held it was a bonus Ñ thatÕs the world of global advertising.Ó A team of seven staff at Lowe Hunt will relocate to JWT to service the account. Vodafone will retain its other agency relationships in the market, with a roster that includes Creative Juice, Ikon, Spin Communications and PR agency Savage & Horrigan. Vodafone will continue to work with Lowe in New Zealand, one of VodafoneÕs most successful markets globally. ÒWeÕre very happy with the work they do, and weÕre not looking to change the agency relationship at this stage,Ó said Sarah William, company communications executive at Vodafone New Zealand. Vodafone, which is headquartered in London, assigned JWT as its global agency in May 2002. Telco giants Telstra and Optus are also reshuffling their agency relationships this year, with Telstra currently reviewing six agencies after appointing George Patterson Bates to its below-the-line account, and Optus shifting its account to M&C Saatchi from Patts last month.
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