DDB loses out as Coles moves advertising in-house
Coles has ended its relationship with ad agency DDB and taken much of its advertising production in-house, with Ted Horton’s boutique agency Big Red providing a creative lead.
Coles is one of the largest brands yet to decide that it does not need a full service advertising agency. Most of the supermarket giant’s current work is centred around celebrity chef Curtis Stone.
Big Red is understood to have only around half a dozen staff.
Horton could not be contacted today, but he gave a speech at this year’s Caxtons suggesting that creatives “follow the money” and embrace new ways of working.
David Jones is another client that does much of its advertising work in-house, with support from M&C Saatchi. Neil Lawrence provides a similar service to BHP Billiton.
Meanwhile, Mark Collis is another creative who has found a new role at clientside, joining Telstra earlier this year.
The new Coles arrangement begins in March. It is unlikely to affect other Big Red clients including Jetstar which has a similar arrangement with Horton.
Andrew Little, group managing director of DDB Melbourne, said: “We are very proud of the properties we have created for Coles, Feed Your Family and the introduction of Curtis Stone were developed by DDB Melbourne. The decision to go in-house reflects a change in marketing strategy and we wish them all the success for the their campaigns in 2011.”
At the time of posting, Coles had not responded to Mumbrella’s invitation to comment. Today’s Sydney Morning Herald quotes a Coles spokesman as saying:
“We simply need a smaller, more boutique-style agency to look after our advertising.
”Ted has been contracted – through DDB – since April this year and he has been effectively the creative director on our business since then. ‘We are very happy with Ted’s creative work and want to continue to work with him.”
3.45 update: Coles told Mumbrella: “DDB has been servicing Coles advertising for two years, and we have given them notice that the services will finish in the middle of March. We have now started discussions with Ted Horton’s Big Red agency with an intention to move our advertising there. We have built more expertise in house and no longer have a requirement for a full service agency. Instead, we simply need a smaller, more boutique style agency, to look after our advertising. Ted has been contracted (through DDB) since April this year and he has been effectively the Creative Director on our business since then. We are very happy with Ted’s creative work and want to continue to work with him to continue along the same journey.”
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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Onya Ted. You’re a bloody legend!
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Riiight. So they’re moving it to a different (smaller) agency then, not necessarily in-house. The Age’s article was a little misleading.
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so Ted will do it cheaper? nice
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(Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy)
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Apparently, this is what happens….
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Sven.
He’ll not only do it cheaper, but he’ll do it faster and more often than not, better.
While making money.
Which is what some people term ‘business’.
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Judging by the work, they don’t really need an agency.
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It seems things may not be all that bad at DDB- (edited by Mumbrella for legal reasons)
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I’m (edited by Mumbrella for legal reasons).
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For legal reasons, I’m now closing comments on this topic.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella