Zenith Optimedia is set to defend the $60 million Nestle account with the business in play, AdNews understands.
Nestle has been pitching its business globally over the last year or so. The FMCG giant moved its US media account from the Publicis-owned agency in April 2013. It could be that the local unit pitch is part of a global alignment.
Moreover, Australia is the only market within Asia, Africa and Oceania - units that are combined under one executive in Switzerland - that has not pitched its media account in the last two years.
When the US business was handed to GroupM, local Zenith Optimedia boss Ian Perrin told AdNews that Nestle "has relationships with both us and WPP (GroupM's owners) across the world which they are constantly looking to improve". He said the US account win "has no bearing whatsoever within Australia".
Since then however, a changing of the guard has occurred. Top marketer David Morgan left the business in December, with Thérèse Kallie parachuted in from Nestle's South African business.
Morgan was a big supporter of Zenith Optimedia locally and had stated publicly that the agency's buying rates outperformed the market.
It is not yet clear which agencies are vying for the business.
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