AdNews wraps up the biggest pitch news and wins from the last fortnight.
ACCIONA Energía pitches creative for the first time
Renewable energy company ACCIONA Energía is has put its creative account up for pitch for the first time since entering the market 20 years ago, AdNews revealed.
Brand and digital lead Hien Pham, previously at TBWA\Australia and Dentsu Creative, is spearheading the initiative, engaging directly with agencies to create a collaborative and transparent pitch process.
Toyota's retail arm account to Saatchi & Saatchi
Toyota has handed its retail and value chain communications portfolio to Publicis' Saatchi & Saatchi from incumbent Dentsu Creative, AdNews revealed.
This marks the end of dentsu's long-standing relationship with Toyota, the deal came out of the US insiders tell AdNews.
Dentsu has held the retail since the holdco acquired Oddfellows in 2015.
In 2021 Hero was appointed for select product portfolios. AdNews can confirm Hero’s relationship remains the same.
PHD reappointed to Singapore Airlines account
Omnicom media agency PHD has been reappointed to Singapore Airlines, AdNews revealed.
PHD won the account from Publicis agency Zenith in the brand's last pitch in 2019.
A review, launched in the March quarter this year, was run out of APAC. It is unclear how many years the airline has retained PHD for.
BMF wins Endeavour Group's creative account
Australian drinks and hospitality business Endeavour Group has appointed BMF lead creative agency, working across its portfolio of brands including Dan Murphy’s and BWS.
The account had been held by M&C Saatchi (BWS) and Thinkerbell.
Lego confirms new ANZ media agency
The Lego Group has appointed Publicis One, powered by Starcom, as its global media buying and planning agency following an 18-month competitive pitch process.
This remit includes Australia, AdNews confirmed.
In Australia UM retained the account locally in 2017. After holding the account for 16 years, the Lego ANZ account was quietly transferred to Initiative in May-June of 2019.
The Danish toy company is one of the most sought after media and creative accounts in this market due to the award-winning work it consistently produces.
Federal government delays communications panel tender
The federal government has pushed back its approach to market for the Government Communications Campaign Panel tender from this year's June quarter to the March quarter next year, AdNews revealed.
The panel is made of communications suppliers - from creative agencies, PR to customer research companies - which provide coordinated work on Australian Government advertising and information campaigns.
Independent agencies snubbed by Canberra over master media account
A proposal by independent media agencies to form a consortium to service the federal government's master media agency account has been rejected, AdNews revealed.
The proposal would see IMAA members have the chance to share servicing the $163 million account.
However, one of the largest indies, Atomic 212 ,made an earlier shortlist for the pitch, industry insiders say.
Now the final showdown is between two incumbent UM and Omnicom's PHD, AdNews can confirm.
The winner was supposed to start servicing the account July 1, but the department of finance has now extended the decision until the end of September, a spokesperson for the Finance Department confirmed to AdNews.
Carat and Initiative reappointed to WA government media account
Western Australia's government media account, held by Carat and Initiative, has been extended for another 12 months, AdNews revealed.
The state government did not put the account out for pitch as the office assesses an audit from WA auditor general Caroline Spencer which found examples of the state's advertising campaigns to be non-compliant.
WA Health appoints panel of agencies after creative pitch
Western Australia's Department of Health has awarded its creative advertising services business to a roster of agencies including Wildlings Creative, The Brand Agency, Kiosk Creative Services, Rare Creative Thinking and Likeable Creative, AdNews confirmed.
The tender closed in November last year. The panel of large, mid-size and small creative agencies will deliver strategic and creative advertising, and related services for various campaigns and public education awareness activities as required, on a non-exclusive basis.
Hatched wins pet care brand Swaggle
Indie media agency Hatched has been appointed to online pet store Swaggle, following a competitive pitch.
Hatched, working as part of an agency village with creative agency The General Store, is already delivering a communications strategy including media planning and buying for the brand across transit out-of-home in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) and performance media.
Indie media agency Hatched has been reappointed by vehicle part provider Bapcor as its media agency of record, following a competitive pitch.
The agency, first appointed in 2017 following a contractual review, will deliver all media services to the business' brands including Autobarn, Autopro, Midas, ABS & Opposite Lock.
Bench Media wins Best Gift Group
Hospitality experience, marketing and gift card company Best Gift Group is preparing to launch a digital campaign at the end of June in Australia and New Zealand after appointing Bench Media as its digital media agency.
Bench Media's remit is to implement a fully integrated approach to Best Gift Group’s media campaigns, from awareness to consideration and ultimately purchases.
Innocean Group Australia has secured the brand strategy, creative, and media account for Geotab, a specialist in fleet management solutions and connected transportation, following a competitive pitch process.
The Innocean Group Australia’s consultative company, lowercase, has been selected to lead the research for Geotab to measure and bridge the gap between the ANZ and Southeast Asia B2B strategy.
The Pistol wins Brandbank Group pitch
Full-service digital marketing agency The Pistol has been appointed to the Brandbank Group following a competitive pitch.
The Pistol will manage paid media for the Brandbank’s multiple fashion, lifestyle, and beauty labels.
Brandbank is home to fashion brands Seed Heritage, Commonry and Unison as well as lifestyle brands kikki.K, Fine-Day and Allkinds.
VMO wins advertising rights at Mall 88
VMO has secured the exclusive advertising rights to Mall 88, the newly developed retail precinct at St Leonards in Sydney’s Lower North Shore, developed by JQZ.
The $1.6 billion mixed-use development brings to life a three-level shopping centre, anchored by a Coles supermarket, a public library commercial office spaces, over 600 luxury residential apartments and an open-air plaza at ground level boasting a dining precinct.
oOh!media wins Melbourne's West Gate Freeway site
oOh!media has strengthened its presence in Melbourne by acquiring the West Gate Freeway large format digital site.
Strategically located at the foot of the West Gate Bridge in Port Melbourne, the high-impact double-sided digital billboard at 1 West Gate Freeway captures the attention of upwards of 200,000 vehicles daily travelling between the inner west and inner city.
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