Media and creative agencies are preparing to tender for the South Australian Government account worth approximately $30 million.
SA government's biggest advertising spender, The South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC), will also be up for grabs.
As contracts draw to an end 30 June 2018, the tenders are expected to be put out at the beginning of 2018.
MEC Adelaide holds the master agency media account for the SA government and independent agency Blaze Advertising holds the master creative services tender, which includes recruitment and public notices.
Several other creative agencies work across various sectors of the SA government, including KWP and Cummins&Partners.
MEC last retained the account in 2015 following a competitive pitch, becoming the sole supplier of 'brand and functional advertising services', overseeing media planning, placement and buying.
The agency began working with the SA government in 2009 and the last agreement takes MEC through to 1 July 2018.
The SA government has the option to extend the agreement with MEC until the 30 June 2020, according to the master media agency contract.
The SA government's annual media spend has been declining steadily since 2009. In 2009-10 it spent nearly $40 million on media, which was $8.9 million more than it spent in 2015-16.
South Australian Tourism Commission up for grabs
As part of the wider tender, the SATC will also put its advertising account up at the beginning of 2018.
The tender puts incumbent KWP on alert, although the Adelaide agency has held on to the account for the last decade. It last retained the account in 2012.
KWP CEO John Baker tells AdNews the agency plans to defend the account.
“We’ve done our best work for SATC and we have a fantastic relationship with the client that we hope will continue,” he says.
Across the South Australian government sectors, SATC is the biggest spender on advertising, spending $6.4 million between 2015-2016 on its Interstate Tourism campaign.
SA Government spends the most on tourism advertising
In 2014, SATC was awarded world’s best tourism film for its ‘Barossa. Be Consumed’ ad from KWP.
The ad features the song Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and was created to boost tourism in Barossa, 60km north-east of Adelaide.
The Motor Accident Commission is another big spender within the SA government. In 2015 Cummins&Partners took on creative duties for the organisation, producing a controversial ad last year featuring a hairy fairy.
Media agencies are also preparing to tender for two of Australia's largest media accounts, the Victorian and NSW governments – both worth between $65 million to $80 million. Read more here.
MEC was approached for comment.
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