Telstra has re-signed its creative agency roster on a retained basis, AdNews understands.
The roster currently includes DDB, The Monkeys, Clemenger BBDO Sydney, R/GA and Lavender, along with several specialist agencies. All are understood to be re-signed deals.
While it is believed there was some consideration from Telstra on moving towards more project work, rather than a roster arrangement, it is understood that all agencies have been resigned on a retained basis.
The decision chimes in with comments made by Telstra MD of media and marketing Joe Pollard about treating agencies better, with Pollard noting that “marketers get the agencies they deserve”.
At the recent AdNews Media Summit she said that one of the issues is that agencies have been “commoditised and our industry has become too transactional.” Pollard was formerly CEO at Publicis Worldwide Australia and said that “now that I’m on this side of the fence I hope I can help play a small part in changing that.”
“Great marketing doesn’t get created inside marketing departments,” Pollard said.
“We need debate, we need insight and we need great ideas. We need third party people to come in and to challenge our thinking and not just give us what we ask for and we need great specialists in the field of expertise to help us be great.”
Telstra is due to make its annual results announcement on 13 August.
Telstra and all agencies contacted by AdNews declined to comment
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