Mindshare’s Foxtel win opens door for ZenithOptimedia in $20m iiNet media pitch
GroupM media agency Mindshare has withdrawn from the media pitch for the $20m iiNet account, Mumbrella can reveal.
Mindshare is understood to have withdrawn late last year after pay-TV operator Foxtel chose to move its media account from sister agency Mediacom after “irregularities” emerged in reporting of TV ratings by the agency. Foxtel and iiNet are competitors due to the latter’s FetchTV service.
Presentations for the account are thought to be next week but it is understood that no other GroupM agency has stepped up to be on the shortlist instead Publicis Groupe media agency ZenithOptimedia is thought to be back on the shortlist, and is offering to set up a Perth office should it win the business.
The new shortlist sees incumbent OMD WA facing off against Initiative, which already has a Western Australian presence, and ZenithOptimedia.
Mumbrella revealed that the media account, which is one of the biggest in Western Australia, was up for pitch back in November.
The field was then whittled from five to three with ZenithOptimedia replacing Mindshare following the Foxtel account change. Pitch consultancy Enth Degree is thought to be running the process.
iiNet has signalled that they are open to agencies outside Western Australia, with a spokesman saying: “As is common practice at iiNet, we asked agencies nationwide. iiNet is a national company with offices in every state.”
In a statement the ISP’s chief operating officer Maryna Fewster said at the time: “As part of a regular review of agencies, iiNet has put our media buying contract out to tender.
“OMD Perth has been our media agency for approximately two years and they, along with a select group of media agencies, will be invited to tender over the coming days.”
In Perth, OMD is part of Marketforce, which also has creative duties for the business after bringing it back from BWM Sydney at the end of 2012.
According to Nielsen, iiNet had an estimated media spend of $19.3m in the 12 months to September and the media review comes at a time when many observers are tipping a marketing war between the major telco players for market share.
Nic Christensen
