ANZ takes creative account to pitch
The Australian creative account for ANZ has been taken to pitch as the bank looks for a new ecosystem of agencies to meet its evolving business needs.
In a statement sent to Mumbrella on Tuesday, Sian Chadwick, ANZ’s general manager. marketing, confirmed the news.
“We’re constantly reviewing the ways in which we work with our Australian agency partners,” Chadwick said.
“As part of this, we are building an alliance of trusted agency partners which will allow us to achieve the best creative outcome for each campaign.”
The bank has ‘complex needs’ that a new ecosystem of agencies is hoped to meet. It is understood ANZ will continue to consider partners it has worked with in the past, with the focus of the RFP on creative strategy and development.
The incumbent, Special Group, has held the creative account since 2021, and launched its first work in early 2022. Prior to the independent agency, ANZ worked with long-time partner TBWA\Melbourne, when it was appointed as the global creative agency in 2011.
Last month, the bank brought back its iconic ANZ Falcon in a campaign via Special.
“The original Falcon campaign, first launched in 2006, aimed to grow awareness of ANZ’s security capabilities – and our campaign doubles down on that in a very unique and quintessentially ANZ way,” Ryan Fitzgerald, ECD at Special, said at the time.
In February, ANZ extended its relationship with media agency PHD. Mumbrella understands the bank has no plans to revisit that relationship, or other non-creative agency partners. PHD has serviced ANZ since it opened its doors in 2012.
In July last year, the bank appointed a group chief marketer in Astrud Burgess, expanding on her existing responsibilities leading data, marketing and customer experience in New Zealand.
She replaced Sweta Mehra, who was appointed managing director of Australia everyday banking, responsible for deposits, credit cards and personal loans.
Also last year, ANZ signed a three-year partnership with Analytic Partners, aiming to optimise its media effectiveness.
“The company’s expertise in modelling and the broader marketing landscape makes it an ideal fit for our organisation as we aim to enhance the efficiency of our marketing efforts and develop influential strategies,” Chadwick said at the time.
Special Group declined to comment when approached by Mumbrella.
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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It appears as though ANZ have had long tenures with partners historically, so this seems out of the norm.
Special would have to pitch as it’s such a big client of theirs – it seems retaining it would be the only way of keeping doors open…?
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