IAG moves media to IPG agency
IAG is moving its media account from WPP to IPG Mediabrands. The move sees media for its brands such as NRMA Insurance and CGU to be handled by media and communications agency Initiative going forward. Mindshare was the incumbent.
Initiative was appointed after a six-week pitch process and will commence work on 1 August.
IAG’s chief marketing officer, Brent Smart, said: “We hadn’t reviewed media for more than six years and a lot has changed in the space. The Initiative team blew us away with their energy and cultural fit, but in the end, we want great media thinking, and Initiative demonstrated that they could deliver it.
IAG’s Brent Smart
“Before we transition to Initiative, we would like to thank Mindshare and personally thank Katie Rigg-Smith for their partnership over many years,” Smart said.
Initiative national managing director, Sam Geer, said: “Our team is humbled to be working with the industry’s most progressive marketers at IAG and their iconic brands.
“We were deeply impressed by the respect shown at every stage in the pitching process and the demand for high quality thinking. I am excited to move beyond pitch mode and embrace the opportunity ahead to create career defining work together.”
Initiative Australia CEO Melissa Fein added: “I could not be prouder of our Initiative team in being selected by IAG following such a respectful and professional review process. The stage is set for a very strong partnership focused on creative media work that challenges conventions in brand communications.”
Earlier this year IAG appointed Thinkerbell to a creative project for insurance business CGU.
Thinkerbell was appointed to IAG’s public relations account in 2019, making it the agency’s first standalone PR client.
IAG chief marketing officer, Brent Smart, told Mumbrella in a statement that the appointment of projects within the group’s agency roster is standard procedure.
Under Smart’s leadership the NRMA creative was moved to The Monkeys after three years at M&C Saatchi.
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Olivia Kruimel is the managing editor at Mumbrella. She has more than 15 years of experience in journalism, communications and marketing. Her journalism career began at Fairfax Media (now part of Nine) and includes various B2B publications such as B&T, Travel Today and ALB. As a marketer Olivia has worked for Standard Chartered and various global law firms.
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