Pitch Watch: Lion & Bohemia split; Australian Olympic Team names creative agency; PR appointments for Yahoo NZ and Moto Guzzi
Mumbrella casts a regular eye over some of the media, creative and PR pitches in market.
In this wrap up: Lion (media); Australian Olympic Team (creative), Yahoo New Zealand (PR), Moto Guzzi (PR).
Lion and Bohemia to part ways
Beverage giant Lion is pitching its $50m media account for its alcohol brands with incumbent Bohemia choosing not to compete for the account, Mumbrella can reveal.
It is less than two years since independent media agency Bohemia won the business, in what was a major coup for the agency, it beat Initiative and Mindshare to win the business.
The loss will be a blow for Bohemia, with managing partner Brett Dawson today confirming that it had chosen not to recontest, saying in a media statement: “We respect Lion’s decision to periodically review its partnerships and we wish them well for the future.”
Ben Slocombe, marketing director, Lion Beer, Cider & Wine Australia, said: “Over the past two years we have worked hard with Bohemia Group to deliver some successful and innovative campaigns together. We would like to thank the team at Bohemia for their dedication and support to our business. However, the time has come to review our needs for the future.”
Lion said it expects the pitch process to take approximately two months, with media planning, implementation and buying included.
Lion is one of Bohemia’s largest accounts and will likely mean redundancies at the agency. Asked about this, Dawson said: “It’s too early to tell what impact the change in account will have on the business. We are working through details and will be able to share relevant plans in due course.”
The pitch will be one of the biggest of 2016 with a number of agencies likely to throw their hats in the ring.
Among the potential contenders are likely to be ZenithOptimedia which held the account before it went to Bohemia and agencies from most of the other major agency groups.
Australian Olympic team announces partnership with WPP AUNZ
WPP AUNZ has been appointed as the official creative advertising agency for the Australian Olympic Team.
WPP AUNZ’s specialist agency 1 Kent St will develop a national creative campaign aimed at increasing fan engagement and broad awareness of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team both in the lead-up to and during the 2016 Rio Olympics in August. The agency will develop strategy and creative across all touch-points such as TV, out-of-home, print, social and digital.
Mike Connaghan, CEO WPP AUNZ, said: “The Olympics are the pinnacle of the sporting world and an event that Australians have long been passionate about. We’re incredibly honoured to partner with the AOC to help drive more engagement with, and support for, our outstanding Olympic team.”
Simon Collins, creative director at 1 Kent St, said: “Getting Aussies to support their Olympic Team may sound a bit like teaching fish to swim, but the sheer breadth of the target audience – basically, the entire population of the country – is what makes the brief so challenging; how can you hope to engage with every single demographic without being boringly safe, or bland or clichéd – or all three.”
WPP AUNZ will also work closely with media partners including Channel 7, APN Outdoor and News Corp to ensure maximum reach and impact, the statement said.
Red Agency extends Yahoo remit
Yahoo New Zealand has appointed Red Agency to manage its communication and public relations activities.
The appointment is an extension of the existing partnership between Red Agency and Yahoo7 in Australia that been in place for four years.
Red Agency will support Yahoo New Zealand’s new head of sales, Arnaud Calonne, in achieving the company’s mission to grow brand awareness within the local market and provide inspiring and entertaining content for its user’s daily habits.
Ed Harrison, CEO of Yahoo7 and Yahoo New Zealand, said: “Red Agency has consistently demonstrated their ability to create newsworthy, shareable ideas that create meaningful connections between our brand and consumers in Australia. We are delighted to appoint them to extend their work into New Zealand and help us to deliver strong business results in the market.”
James Wright, managing director of Red Agency, said: “Our partnership with Yahoo7 has been strong since day one and to extend the relationship to Yahoo New Zealand is testament to that. We look forward to working with the Yahoo New Zealand team in creating innovative and strategic campaigns to drive success for the company, as we have done for Yahoo7.”
This appointment is effective immediately.
Haystac wins Moto Guzzi
Haystac has won the PR account for motorcycle brand Moto Guzzi working with motorcycle distributor John Sample Automotive.
The first activity Haystac will undertake is the launch of two new motorcycles into the Australian market, the V9 Roamer and V9 Bobber.
Ezio Forcella, general manager of Moto Guzzi, said: “In order to create a successful business relationship, we needed to partner with an agency that shares similar characteristics. Haystac appreciates the history and unique features of the Moto Guzzi brand and also understands the vision we have. Most importantly, they share our passion.”
Tim Powell, managing director of Haystac, said: “We’re proud to be working with a world famous brand and look forward to bringing the story of the Moto Guzzi heritage to life. It’s an exciting time for Moto Guzzi with the launch of its two new V9 models and we’re delighted to be on board.”
Does anyone else think it odd that the past two incumbents have chosen not to re-pitch for the Lion media account (ZO chose not to), and that the most recent one of the two, Bohemia, is relinquishing the opportunity after slightly less than two years?
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Given that twice in a row the incumbent has declined to pitch, it might be worthwhile for Lion to look internally as to what the problem is….
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Sometimes you just don’t like what the model is telling you to do.
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On the wall. Perhaps time to look in it, Lion?
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@stalebeer ZO did not decline to pitch in the last round. It’s not Lion I would want to take a long hard look at.
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They were with ZO for years, perhaps the Bohemia experiment just didn’t work?
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Times are tough. Agencies unwilling to repitch business?
Tells you everything you need to know.
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That’s assuming that the agency isn’t just trying to save face. I think the press release from the client says is all – ‘we have worked hard with Bohemia Group to deliver some successful and innovative campaigns together’. Hard work to deliver ‘some’ success.
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