Main part of Qantas media account tipped to be down to two agencies
The bulk of Qantas’s media account is set to change hands with two contenders, Group M’s Maxus and Omnicom’s OMD, left in the running Mumbrella understands.
Incumbent ZenithOptimedia is understood to have been told it will lose the domestic marketing component of the account, which is thought to represent around two thirds of the airline’s $20m media spend.
At this stage, it is unclear what decisions have been made around the international marketing and Qantas loyalty programs.
Qantas has not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication and all agencies contacted have declined to comment.
The pitch was first revealed by Mumbrella in September with an initial shortlist consisting of incumbent ZenithOptimedia, OMD, Maxus and independent Bohemia soon emerging.
At the time that the pitch emerged, the airline confirmed it was reviewing media and said it would aim to complete the process by the end of year.
However, it is thought the process may have been delayed by the departure of senior marketer Tim McColl Jones in November.
Back in November Qantas group executive brand, marketing and corporate affairs Olivia Wirth told Mumbrella the media pitch process was “ongoing”.
“We are currently going through the process and there should be a decision by the end of the year,” she said. “It’s the right thing to go into the marketplace.
“The media industry is changing significantly so this is about testing the market to make sure we have the right agency with the right skills. Obviously digital play is more important, and the whole way you bid for media now is changing, it’s very dynamic so all those things are being considered.”
The airline is radically overahuling its media practices, and has taken the main bulk of its digital media account in house with its new unit Red Planet.
The loss of Qantas for ZenithOptimedia caps off a bad year for the media agency, which lost the $60m Nestlé media account to MEC and chose not to repitch for Lion’s alcohol brands.
Nic Christensen
Prob best to avoid ‘shootout’ in heads this week
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Can we please change that headline?
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totes
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Managed to see the headline before it was changed, simply disgusting and insensitive with zero regards to what has happened over the last few days – no better than the 2PM cover page from The Daily Telegraph on Monday
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Hi Vortex09, Insensitive and Disgusting,
Thanks for the feedback. Whilst ‘shootout’ is something we use fairly regularly in regards to a pitch, you’re right it was the wrong week to use the phrase which is why we’ve changed it.
Apologies for any offence caused.
Cheers,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella
Not the most appropriate headline, but disgusting? @disgusted you must have a hard time keeping your meals down if that constitutes “disgusting”. Sheeesh!
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Wow.. what has Zenith Optimedia got left now apart from Reckitt Benckiser
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@Disgusting, calm down, buddy. It was a poor choice of words not some “He was having a mid-life ISIS” joke.
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