2014 Annual: Top 10 creative account wins/retentions
It’s been a busy year for creative agencies with a number of big account moves, including a resolution to the lengthy Myer pitch, a surprise move for Woolworths and Netflix appointing its ‘eyes and ears on the ground’. Mumbrella creative reporter Miranda Ward recaps the top 10 creative account moves and retentions.
1. Woolworths shifts creative to Leo Burnett Sydney
Woolworths’ sudden decision in March to shift its creative account from Droga5 to Leo Burnett Sydney. The appointment followed the supermarket chain hiring former Coles executive Tony Phillips as its chief marketing officer.
2. Clemenger BBDO Melbourne wins Myer
The lengthy Myer pitch was resolved August just after it passed its one year anniversary. Clemenger BBDO Melbourne ended up beating out incumbent Ogilvy Badjar for the account.
The WorkSafe account was another closely watched account for Victorian agencies, with many wondering what would be left for incumbent Grey Melbourne if the agency missed out. Luckily the agency retained the account, along with fellow incumbent The Shannon Group. McCann Melbourne was the only new agency added to the roster.
4. NRMA Insurance returns to M&C Saatchi
M&C Saatchi won back the NRMA Insurance account seven years after losing it to Whybin\TBWA. Whybin bowed out in the early stages of the pitch process.
5. Cummins & Partners scoops up Vodafone
The Vodafone account was another closely watched creative pitch, with the telco shortlisting four agencies including Cummins & Partners, McCann Melbourne, Whybin\TBWA and JWT after the incumbent Ogilvy bowed out. The telco then shortlisted two: Cummins & Partners and McCann. The account, as expected, was given to Cummins & Partners with the agency announcing it would open a Sydney office to handle the account.
It has been a rough 12 months for Droga5, with the agency losing the Woolworths account to Leo Burnett and its Mondelez accounts to Saatchi and Saatchi. The year did start to pick up when the US streaming behemoth tapped the agency for creative responsibilities. Netflix will not have an office in Australia and will rely on its agencies to be its “eyes and ears on the ground”, Cliff Edwards, Netflix’s director of corporate communications, told Mumbrella.
7. StreamCo picks AJF Partnership
In other streaming news, Nine Entertainment Co and Fairfax Media’s joint venture StreamCo, now known by the consumer brand of Stan, appointed AJF Partnership. Interestingly the agency beat out Droga5 for the account who later went on to pick up the Netflix account.
8. Target appoints AJF Partnership
Retailer Target handed its creative account to AJF Partnership. Big Red, the agency which works on Coles, had been handling the brand’s creative work previously.
9. Western Australia Tourism goes to Cummins & Partners
In a stellar year for the independent agency, Cummins & Partners won the Western Australia Tourism account from the five year incumbent Host. According to Mumbrella sister publication The Source, the agency has picked up at least six new accounts this year.
10. Budget Direct puts aliens on alert, appoints new creative agency
303Lowe picked up insurance brand Budget Direct with new work set to be shown early in the new year. The marketing industry will be keen to know whether aliens Zeek and Zia survive the change.
Highly commended:
While Ogilvy struggled this year, losing the Vodafone account in Sydney and the Myer account in Melbourne, Melbourne did retain BMW and Mini, with the Sydney office picking up Lion alcohol brand Hahn.
In more digitally focussed news Red Bull appointed R/GA to handle its creative account back in January.
Ones to watch:
The Volkswagen pitch is still yet to be decided, with incumbent DDB Sydney fighting it out with Host and Droga5 for the account. It is understood a decision will be made towards the end of January or the beginning of February next year.
Lion is still reviewing agencies for its James Boag and James Squire accounts with Host and The Monkeys both on the shortlist. Mumbrella understands Lion is looking to create a roster of agencies to work across the various brands as opposed to silio situations, it’s one to look out for in the new year.