Optus shakes up creative roster with TBWA Sydney joining list of agencies
TBWA Sydney has been added to Optus’ full-time agency roster.
The current creative roster now includes TBWA Sydney, M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment, Emotive, Big Red, the M&C Saatchi-owned Re, and Optus’ internal agency Yes Agency.
Optus has announced its updated agency roster
M&C Saatchi was dropped from the full-time roster in March last year, but the telco said at the time that the Sport and Entertainment unit would “continue to work with Optus on bespoke projects”.
Optus has also confirmed to Mumbrella it will be working with creative agency Bear Meets Eagle on Fire on a project basis. Bear Meets Eagle on Fire was co-founded by Micah Walker, who previously spent eight months as the ECD of 72 and Sunny Sydney.
72 and Sunny was made a ‘full-time partner’ on the Optus roster in March 2018. One year later, the entities parted ways. Walker left 72 and Sunny a week before the agency was dropped.
Optus’ media account has remained with UM, which was appointed back in 2016, and the telco has also engaged digital marketing company Amobee.
Mel Hopkins, Optus head of marketing told Mumbrella: “We are very excited to announce to the industry the news of a core team that we have been working with over the past few months on a number of projects or via existing relationships. We believe that we have a unique combination of agency partners that together have forged a strong relationship with each other based on mutual respect.
“The willingness to partner in a new way and format gives me great hope of a change very much required in the Australian agency landscape. I am delighted with the partners we are working with.
“We believe working together on real live briefs, with real budgets, real deadlines and paying real agency fees enables both parties to work openly to determine whether the right dynamic is present to enter into a roster arrangement.”
Over the weekend, Optus launched a new campaign to promote its partnership with Apple Music.
Mumbrella understands that the campaign is the first work for Optus from TBWA Sydney.
In the ad, the word counter of a karaoke machine escapes, and bounces through different scenes of people singing along to The Doobie Brothers’ track ‘Listen to the music’.
In June, Optus reappointed Thrive to its public relations account.
topics
Amobee
Bear Meets Eagle on Fire
Big Red
emotive
M&C Saatchi Sports and Entertainment
Optus
RE
TBWA Sydney
UM
Yes Agency
Also one of the most toxic accounts to work on in Australia. Good luck to anyone involved
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You’ve got to be kidding me. That client has no respect for agencies and how they operate.
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The balls of the client to claim she is representing the good of the industry when she moves business so much……surely she should be accountable for the bad work and short relationships.
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I used to be a huge fan of Mel Hopkins. I’ve worked with her twice in the past and always found her to be super professional and progressive. Not so sure anymore. This kind of frequent agency movement proves the opposite.
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The interesting point here is that Optus needs fewer creative teams. It could spend around a third less and still improve its advertising and its presence.
Before stepping into a boat, you need to make sure that it is seaworthy, and once you have sailed, you must trust in the rig and the elements.
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Not sure who this lot are. As someone who currently works on the business, the changes over the last few years have been profound. Optus are a pleasure to work with. Demanding, yes – but mostly in pushing for better work.
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A tough account, yes, but rewarding and always striving to do great work – absolutely!
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‘Agency Partner’ is spot on. The people making negative comments clearly don’t work on the account. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Mel and her team at Optus for over three years and it’s been a pleasure. Smart and RESPECTFUL clients who want to make great work that works. This change to the process of hiring agencies is what the industry has been calling out for. It should be celebrated. Well done Mel – this is a great example of your leadership and ethics.
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Oh yes! I think they are wonderful, I never said anything bad or disrespectful about them either, and I never would. They are great to work for /with and always give you a fair go and lift you above your supposed best to greater and sweeter highs.
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I’m sure Optus used to be as bad as some say, but those days are long gone.
Mel has changed a lot of things for the better at Optus and the agency pitch process is one of them.
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The majority of Optus’ advertising has been remarkably bland and unmemorable since they dropped the animals (notable exceptions being the Ricky Gervais and EPL launch work).
Remarkably inconsistent too, which is no doubt related to the splintering of the agency roster away from M&C, and the lack of a clear strategy from the client.
Too many chefs in the kitchen cooking up microwave meals.
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Isn’t the new Apple ad – which came out of this incredibly forward thinking (not really) process, just rubbish. Bad clients and traditional agencies = abysmal work.
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In the US this has been happening for a few years now with agencies (especially creative) working on a project basis. Today, in order to survive (but hoping to thrive) marketers must meet dynamic consumer tastes in a perpetually fluid advertising environment. Research proves that the ‘right’ consumer only needs to see the ‘right’ message (creative) at the ‘right’ time once to be motivated to take the ‘right’ action. This means there’s must be a ton of creative so every individual consumer has the chance to get their ‘right’ message. This is a business reality that Optus is recognizing while taking the necessary steps to remain relevant to consumers.
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having used to work client side at optus – the structure and people in place in senior positions is a joke. their abuse (use and move-on) approach to agencies is a clear example of this. the internal culture is toxic, haphazard and lacks clear direction – has done for many years (since the “ollie” brand campaign), which has seen band-aid after band-aid applied and the “we’re a challenger brand” – wake up it’s not 1991 – no one cares.
The only way this will change is if there is a clean-sweep of over paid “directors” / “associate directors” – starting with [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy] – practise what you preach or take a seat!
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I think the difference with Optus now versus then is stark by these comments. The Optus team are in a tough category and value anyone who cares. And it takes a great team of people to do this. We may not always have the same opinion, but that is why clients and agencies exist. As long as there is mutual respect, fairness and communication surely together we can do the best work possible.
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Dynamic consumer tastes? Fluid advertising? A ton of creative so every individual consumer has the chance to get their ‘right’ message?
This is poor advice and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how advertising and brand building works. I understand where you are coming from as your website promises efficiency & ROI optimisation as opposed to improving effectiveness and profitability.
Some reading for you:
1. Create collective meaning, not mass personalisation:
https://medium.com/@g_price/eat-your-greens-london-book-launch-talk-3df646fa1b8e
2. Field/Binet on balancing brand building and direct response:
https://effworks.co.uk/effectiveness-in-context/
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This is a wise, thoughtful and pioneering decision by Optus and Mel. For an industry that is berating the pitch, a client with one of the bigger budgets has decided to do the right thing; treat existing partners well, trial new partners in fair and decent terms, and spend everyone’s time well.
Having worked with Mel and her team in many ways I can tell you they are terrific agency partners; clear on feedback, respectful, willing to engage on the tough conversations constructively, ambitious and fun.
And what a great roster – a good mix of great network agencies (UM, TBWA, RE, M&C S/E), a new independent (BME) , some more established independents and (Emotive, Big Red). We’d all do well if we saw more of this. Great work Mel and team.
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It sickens me how brutal and destructive this industry can be.
Melissa Hopkins is a tough, brilliant and visionary leader.
Optus is no more complex or difficult than any other major brand facing some tough market challenges.
That is it.
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Oh Melissa [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. You [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. Don’t blame the industry – [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. This is my opinion [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. Best of luck to the new agencies, they’ll need it.
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