Tourism Australia calls global media pitch
One of the most prestigious – and lucrative – media accounts in the country is up for grabs with the $180m global media and buying contract for Tourism Australia out to tender, Mumbrella can reveal. The search and social media accounts are also up for grabs.
The three year contract with Aegis agency Carat runs until mid-2011, but yesterday Tourism Australia began the process, advertising the pitch on government site AusTender.
According to the announcement, agencies have until January 28 to respond to the request for tender document.
The pitch means that the year will begin with two massive media accounts up for grabs. Unilever is also in play.
After the January 28 deadline, shortlisted agencies will be called to present during March or April, with a decision due on May 2, ahead of a July 1 contract start.
The calling of the tender does not reflect on Carat’s performance on the business. Virtually all government contracts are fixed length, with strict rules around retendering at the end of the term.
The last few weeks have seen Aegis purchase Mitchell Communications Group, with Harold Mitchell taking the helm of the UK-based company’s regional operation.
According to the tender document, the key locations for the winning agency or agencies are Australia, the USA, UK, Japan, China and Singapore.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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‘Mumbrella can reveal.’
Starting to sound like the breathless Daily Terror guys.
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Isn’t Tourism Australia a wholly owned subsidiary of HARPO productions (ie Oprah’s) now?
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Wow – it’s an achievement to produce an ad even more annoying than What About Me but they did it. Fail…even with the gratuitous cleavage.
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