GroupM unit Maxus has won the $15 million iSelect media account after a three-way pitch, AdNews understands.
Incumbent M2M did not contest the account after iSelect put the account out to pitch at the end of September, hinting that it may be seeking to take more of its media to an external agency -- saying it was open to "fresh ideas".
As many as six agencies were in the running throughout the process, and the final three were believed to be Carat, Slingshot, and Maxus.
It is understood that as a result of the pitch process, iSelect is now seeking to do more of its planning and buying through an external agency - it previously handled a lot in-house.
iSelect marketing director Geraldine Davys said Maxus won the account based on its strategic insights, data analytics and enthusiasm.
“iSelect is a unique piece of business. We needed a media agency flexible enough to operate within our hybrid media buying model and Maxus fit that bill perfectly,” she said.
Nick Keenan, Maxus Melbourne MD said: “We are absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to work with such a progressive business such as iSelect. We found that both our businesses are on the same path given our flexible cultures and overall business structures deigned to cope with change, focussing on a hybrid model that is steeped in data and analytics, and contemporary strategic thinking.”
The account win is a fillip for the Maxus Group, which has also pitched for the Qantas account through its Sydney office.
It is believed the final pitches for the Qantas business have been delivered, with the ball now in the airline's court for a pre-Christmas announcement.
The win will also come as welcome news for GroupM, which is currently in the midst of a heavy auditing process following on from rogue traders being turfed out at agency MediaCom.
It is understood Slingshot was hoping to use the iSelect win an impetus for growing its Melbourne presence, which currently has one employee. If Slingshot had of the account, it would have looked at bringing on about five people but as it stands, it will seek to bring on two.
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