UM has retained the media business for ING Bank following a pitch process that took more than six months.
The decision the business would stay with UM was announced today. The agency has held the account since 2012.
It’s a good start for UM’s recently appointed CEO Fiona Johnston, who started with the agency this week.
She says: “We are immensely proud to be awarded this business from such a respected client. I could not be more proud of the UM pitch team who have worked so hard and intelligently in helping ING work towards a clear vision for its media and customer engagement. This was a hard-fought win and not just a retention. We won through passion, dedication and smart thinking.”
The pitch process, which was run by Accenture at the initial stages, had raised eyebrows in the industry with suggestions that the process was conflicted because UM is the global media agency for Accenture, however it does not hold the business in Australia.
There were also broader concerns about the access Accenture has to insights and confidential agency information through running pitches as it is increasingly moving into media and creative territory.
At the time an Accenture spokesperson told AdNews that the two divisions were completely separate with strict policies in place.
“Accenture professionals have been providing media pitch management services for more than a decade … These are two separate and distinct divisions of Accenture and we have the strictest policies and protocols in place to ensure complete business and client confidentiality.”
ING's creative account is held by VCCP. It launched the latest installation of its Isla Fisher work this month.
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