The pitch for News Corp's full-service creative business has gone down to the shortlist phase.
Incumbents AJF Partnership and Archibald Williams will now square off for the account, with BWM, Saatchi & Saatchi and Clemenger BBDO out of the running.
A spokesperson for News Corp confirmed the news. The account, which encompasses brand, digital, strategy and data, went out to pitch in March.
It is thought the pitch process has been heavily focused on data capabilities, with News Corp looking to better leverage its portfolio by introducing a membership and reward scheme dubbed +Rewards.
Earlier this year, group executive of marketing Damian Eales outlined the publisher's plans to move away from a subscription to a membership model.
He said at the time: "As an organisation we're very much moving from a transactional relationship with customers ... to a membership-type relationship where we're providing that customer with content not just via our newspaper but also through ... online, tablet or mobile."
News Corp's $35 million media account, picked up by UM in 2012, is unaffected by the current review, as are The Australian – already part of Archibald Williams' remit – and NewsLifeMedia.
News Corp Australia – including News Corp, NewsLifeMedia and 20th Century Fox Film Distributors – spent $55.1 million on main media in calendar 2013, according to Nielsen.
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