Lexus dealers finalise shortlist on media pitch
The dealers for luxury car brand Lexus are thought to have finalised a shortlist for the media account, which is currently out to pitch.
The agencies believed to be on the shortlist include the incumbent TMS, who will face off against UM, the Mediavest side of Starcom Mediavest and fellow Publicis media agency Publicis Media, which is a sister agency to ZenithOptimedia.
As Mumbrella recently revealed independent media agency TMS is facing a fight to retain the account, with the pitch being watched closely by many in the industry as it is the first time in more than a decade that a part of the Toyota, Lexus’s parent company, account has been out to tender.
All agencies contacted declined to comment.
Toyota is the foundation client of TMS and there is growing speculation that the winner of the Lexus dealers’ pitch will be in a strong position to pick up more of the Toyota media business, with this account thought to be worth around $10m but the broader Toyota account is worth more than $70m in 2012-13 according to Nielsen.
The media pitch came soon after TMS’s managing director Andrew Lamb left the agency.
Lexus is currently also reviewing its creative account with up to five agencies reportedly vying for main creative duties on the Lexus roster.
Nic Christensen
