M&C Saatchi chairman: We’ve lost ANZ but we’re not sure why
The boss of M&C Saatchi has confirmed that the agency has lost long time client ANZ – but said that he has not been told the reason why.
In a statement issued this afternoon, M&C Saatchi’s worldwide chairman Tom Dery said:
“I can confirm ANZ will not be renewing its contract with M&C Saatchi at the end of the month.
“It’s hard to pick one reason why it’s happened. We understand organisations change in style and structure and it may well reflect what’s happening within the ANZ.
“M&C Saatchi will continue to operate our office in Melbourne with the team down there, lead expertly by Managing Director Jo Rozario, busy working on a raft of other business.
“We are looking to relocate eight to 10 people who work on ANZ in Melbourne to the Sydney office.
“We’ve enjoyed a lengthy, fruitful relationship with ANZ.
“Fourteen years is a long time in anybody’s language but is a lifetime in advertising, especially for an agency to partner a blue chip client.
“In that time we’ve done some truly category-changing work for ANZ that we’re very proud of.”
Among M&C’s most recent work for ANZ is the much talked about “Barbara’s from bank world” campaign.
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I’ve always liked their work for ANZ, the ATM with legs was a genius ad to me.
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17 staff gone. Big loss. Good luck guys.
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Was there no reason given by ANZ? Even in a 3 month marriage you get ‘irreconcilable differences’ cited.
Why do some clients treat agencies like this?
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I wonder is it because if Barbara? I know a lot of people loved the ads, but did the perceptions of Barbara as a banker and her approach to customers start to reflect on perceptions of the brand itself. Now I know that she was from the ‘banking world’ and not ANZ’s world, but did the man on the street get that I wonder….
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ANZ, Commonwealth and Westpac may be a little unnerved by the NAB at the moment.
I believe that NAB has de-friended ANZ, Commonwealth and Westpac from its Facebook friends.
ANZ is a little rattled.
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Its sad and annoying when clients part ways with agencies but dont bother to give a decent reason. Yes your the client but when you expect your agency partners to go above and beyond the call while they work for you a little common courtesy shouldn’t be too hard.
For a relationship to break down there has to be a good reason. They should have the guts to say exactly why.
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bugger! – I loved the bank world ads
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I think it was only a matter of time. M&C lost the ANZ New Zealand account about 18 months ago and DDB have been doing some good work over there. In fact, some of the work has even been used in throughout AsiaPac (which was perviously unheard of). I would put money on DDB winning the entire ANZ account.
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Anon @ 9:00am. I wouldn’t bet on it if I was you.
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Well I am sure there were reasons. Mr Derry quote is that they did not have ‘one’ reason. It is reasonable to assume therefore that there were multiple reasons.
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Years of good mortgage work.
Kevin the ATM.
Barbara.
Well done to M&C.
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Salad says, at the risk of stating the bloody obvious: it’s because all banks are bastards.
Not just because of the way that they treat their customers with contempt.
Not just because their brand of rampant capitalism, speculation and greed is buggering up the world.
Not just because they’re the first to cry poor and have a hand out for government (i.e. taxpayer) money to dig them out of a hole of their own creation.
It’s also but because of the way they treat their “suppliers”
Wake up! What in God’s name do you expect from a bank?
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