Pitch Watch: Toyota and Energy Australia call pitches while Unibet and Rivers move media
Mumbrella casts an eye over the major media, creative and public relations pitches at play in market.
In this week’s wrap up the latest on: Toyota (new pitch), Unibet (account win), Speciality Fashion Group (account win), Energy Australia (new pitch).
Toyota pitches its events, product launches and roadshows
Major car manufacturer Toyota has put a request for proposal out for all events, product launches and roadshows, Mumbrella can reveal.
The experiential account is expected to be highly contested within the Melbourne market with a number of agencies understood to be lining up for what is rumoured to be a $14m account.
The account has been with George P. Johnson since 2005, although Toyota is thought to be looking to move to an agency panel approach with the pitch expected to be decided by the end of November.
The car manufacturer is being closely watched by a number of agency groups ahead of the 2016 move of its marketing team from Sydney to Melbourne.
Should Toyota call a media pitch it would put long term incumbent The Media Store on alert and a number of media agencies thought to be interested in the experiential pitch with a view to winning more of the account down the track. Dentsu Aegis also recently bolstered its creative firepower acquiring agency BWM, with many believing that may be a move to make a play for the creative account when the marketing department moves. Most of the work is currently done by Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney.
Toyota declined to comment on the experiential pitch.
Bohemia wins Unibet account from ZenithOptimedia
Independent media agency Bohemia Group has been appointed by Unibet Australia amid a marketing spending war among the major online betting players.
Bohemia will take the lead on media strategy, media planning and media buying for Unibet after a competitive pitch which began in early August.
Brett Dawson, managing partner at Bohemia said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to partner with Unibet in such a highly competitive category. We are a challenger agency and at our best with challenger brands. We can’t wait to get started.”
Mikael Sundelin, head of marketing & operations, Unibet said: “We are excited to get started with Bohemia and they will be instrumental in our plans going forward.”
Bohemia also recently picked up the media account for Caltex from Ikon Communications.
Speciality Fashion Group appoints Ikon Communications for the Rivers media account
An update on the media buying account for the clothing brand Speciality Fashion Group Katies, Millers, Crossroads and Rivers.
Mumbrella revealed that the $17.7m media pitch was in play back in July with independent Chaos Media Group fighting to retain its major client.
The pitch has now been resolved with a spokeswoman for Speciality Fashion Group confirming it had appointed Ikon Communications to head media buying for its troubled Rivers clothing brand.
The rest of the media buying is expected for the moment to remain with Chaos, who had to face a field of contenders on the account including independent HM Communications Group and network agencies PHD, Starcom and Ikon.
Ikon did not respond to requests for comment.
Energy Australia pitches creative
Utilities business Energy Australia is understood to be pitching its creative account with a field of contenders expected to line up for the Melbourne based account.
Leo Burnetts Sydney currently hold the business.
A spokesman for Energy Australia declined to comment on its third party relationships.
Nic Christensen
