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Pitch Watch: GSK moves $27.5m media account; Carnival Australia calls review; Mercedes down to negotiations

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

In this wrap up the latest on: GSK (account win), Carnival Cruises (new media pitch), Daimler/Mercedes (shortlist), Singapore Airlines and a wrap up on the latest on the local implications of ‘mediapalooza’. 

GSK1Global realignment sees GSK’s $27.5m Australian media account move from Maxus 

It’s been two months since we revealed that the local $27.5m media account for consumer healthcare giant GlaxoSmithKline was in play locally, but Mumbrella can reveal the account is set to move to PHD.

It is understood that GroupM’s Maxus, which is the incumbent, has advised its staff that the account is likely to move.

Both Maxus and PHD today declined to comment while GSK has not responded to requests for comment however, the win is the second major account win for PHD this year after it picked up the $59m Unilever account from Mindshare back in July.

The decision to move the media buying to PHD locally comes as GSK announced that globally it would align itself with either PHD or Mediacom in various markets.

Screen Shot 2015-09-17 at 11.22.04 amCarnival Australia set to review on media

Cruise line Carnival Australia appears poised to call a media review.

“We are not currently conducting a review of agencies but we don’t rule out that possibility in the future as part of the normal business procedures,” said a spokesman.

Such a move would put incumbent Mediacom on alert although the list of other potential agencies that may be looked at is unclear.

Carnival Australia represents major cruise ship brands such as P&O, Cunard and Princess Cruises, while a spokesman for Carnival Australia declined to comment on the review.

As Mumbrella revealed recently Mediacom has had a tough trot with the agency is currently also facing a review on Slater and Gordon and recently lost both EA Games and Canon Australia.

Industry rumours are also intensifying the three-month search for a replacement for CEO Mark Pejic has also come to an end. Watch this space.*

Daimler/Mercedes pitch down to pointy end 

The local part of the media pitch for $17.9m Daimler/Mercedes media account is understood to be in final negotiations with incumbent Foundation up against Vivaki.

All agencies contacted declined to comment but retaining the account will be all important for Foundation with the luxury car brand its biggest client.

The final shortlist comes after presentations by MEC, Vivaki and Foundation in Melbourne last month.

A decision on the account is expected shortly.

Mediapalooza wrap up 

The movement on both GSK and Singapore Airlines which went to ZenithOptimedia yesterday brings the total value of live global pitches in this market to just $140m.

The remaining eight ‘mediapalooza’ pitches include the major brands 21st Century Fox, Mondelez, Johnson & Johnson and Sony.

A full table of the global pitch in the last nine months can be seen below:

Screen Shot 2015-09-17 at 11.35.15 am

*A previous version of this story incorrectly noted that Carnival Australia had called the media review. This was due to a miscommunication from Carnival Australia.

Nic Christensen

Previous Pitch Watches: 

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