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Pitch Watch: McDonald’s reviews PR; Coca-Cola pitches experiential; Uber searches for PR agency; Ikea appoints new PR agency; Banjo wins big

McDonald's 'Golden Arches'

Mumbrella casts an eye over the major media, creative and public relations pitches at play in market. 

In this week’s wrap up: McDonald’s (new PR pitch); Coca-Cola (new experiential pitch); Uber (new PR pitch); Ikea (PR appointment).

McDonald’s pitches PR

McDonald’s is pitching its local public relations account, Mumbrella can reveal.

“We can confirm we are currently in the process of reviewing our PR agency roster. Once complete we will make an announcement,” a spokesperson told Mumbrella.

The roster currently consists of Mango and PPR.

It comes as McDonald’s in the US reviews its creative agency arrangements with the view to find a single creative agency to work on its business. In the US, McDonald’s currently has DDB and Leo Burnett as its creative agencies of record; similar to how it operates in the Australian market.

A McDonald’s spokesperson told Mumbrella: “This only relates to McDonald’s USA and has no impact here in Australia.”

Regardless, Leo Burnett and DDB in Australia will surely be keeping a close eye on the US pitch activity as it could be the precursor to a move by McDonald’s to consolidate its creative account globally.

CokeCoca-Cola hunts for new experiential agency

Coca-Cola South Pacific is currently reviewing its experiential roster, Mumbrella can reveal.

A Coca-Cola South Pacific spokesperson confirmed the pitch to Mumbrella, stating: “CCSP can confirm it is currently reviewing its experiential roster and the process is still underway.”

Mumbrella understands Urban has been handling the soft drink’s experiential work having worked on the Sprite Showers activation.

Uber searching for PR agency

Ride-sharing app Uber is on the hunt for a local PR agency, Mumbrella understands.

Uber is notorious for its PR-led marketing stunts including Uber Kittens and Uber Puppies.

Last year Uber appointed HM Communications as its media agency.

Ikea hands PR account to Pulse Communications

ikeaIkea has appointed Ogilvy PR’s Pulse Communications as its PR agency of record following a competitive pitch process.

Pulse beat incumbent Mango, who Mumbrella understands was involved in the pitch process, to win the account.

Pulse Communications will work with the Ikea team on consumer and corporate relations, influencer engagement and experiential campaigns. The agency will also work with Ikea’s agency partners to deliver integrated communications plans for the organisation.

Rachel White, country communications manager at Ikea Australia, said in a statement : “We are delighted to be working with Pulse Communications. We were impressed by their understanding of our business as well as their strategic thinking and ideas during the entire tender process. Not only are they passionate about IKEA, they bring an experienced and capable team to support our communication function.”

Richard Brett, group managing director at Pulse Communications, said in a statement: “We are incredibly excited to be working with such an innovative global brand, and look forward to bringing our brave creativity to the IKEA business. Through the use of bold insight, engaging content and new innovations we look forward to rolling out a number of exciting campaigns this year withIKEA in Australia.”

Pulse Communications will commence work immediately.

Banjo in tune with string of wins

Sydney’s Banjo is hailing a run of wins over past several weeks, adding six new accounts.Banjo agency

The agency has picked up the account for Real Pet Food Company to help build the challenger brand in its battle against the multinationals after resigning the Purina account in 2015.

Also joining the agency is real estate brand Follow Me.

The new wins see the accounts join other clients including the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, Alinta Energy, The Australian Turf Club, and Clubs NSW.

Banjo managing partner Andrew Varasdi said the wins came on the back of an agency restructure last year.

“We made a deliberate choice to focus inwards on our existing clients and getting our structures and new people in place, which we have now done,” Varasdi said.

“But as it turned out, we added a number of new clients to the roster which is extremely exciting for everyone involved with the agency.”

Miranda Ward and Simon Canning 

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