Tourism Australia has appointed The Monkeys, Accenture Song and Droga5 as a panel of agencies to provide integrated global creative and digital services, following a comprehensive tender process.
Accenture beat out Publicis Groupe and Clemenger Group which were also shortlisted for the pitch, as well as incumbent M&C Saatchi, which partnered with independent hot shop Howatson+Company.
The Accenture panel will service Tourism Australia’s creative and digital services for five years from July 2024, structured as a three-year initial contract with options for two further one-year extensions.
Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said the brand had a very specific brief with a global footprint that sees it actively market into 15 key international markets.
"Our campaigns have set a high benchmark over the years and as our operating environment continues to evolve we need to ensure Australia stands out on the world stage,” Harrison said.
“During the tender process Accenture Song, along with The Monkeys and Droga5, proved they were best placed to provide Tourism Australia with the integrated global creative and digital services we need.
"We look forward to working with them to showcase the best Australia has to offer to the world.”
Tourism Australia chief marketing officer Susan Coghill said Accenture Song will allow Tourism Australia to respond to future opportunities and challenges.
“We will be working closely with Accenture, The Monkeys and Droga5 to remind the world why ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’ and are excited to learn more about the creative ideas and big thinking they can bring to the table as we look to get Australia’s tourism industry back on a path of sustainable growth,” Coghill said.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank M&C Saatchi and Digitas for all of their hard work over the past five years. It was a challenging period and thanks to both agencies we were able to pivot into the domestic space, with the Holiday Here This Year campaigns, and once international travel resumed we launched our current global campaign Come and Say G’day welcoming travellers back to Australia.”
Accenture Song CEO David Droga said this win means a lot.
"Professionally and personally, we are thrilled by the wonderful opportunity, immense responsibility and the rekindled partnership," Droga said.
Accenture Song A/NZ President & The Monkeys cofounder and group CEO Mark Green said it’s a privilege to partner with Susan and her team of outstanding marketers to elevate Tourism Australia’s global creative and digital marketing approach.
“Combining the creative firepower of The Monkeys (Australian agency of the decade) and Droga5 (US agency of the decade), underpinned by the technology and global footprint of Accenture Song, we have some of the best Australian talent from around the world coming together to bring the best of Australia to the world," Green said.
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