Pitch Watch: No ‘Team Red’ model for Vodafone in Australia; Golden Brand appoints creative agency; Harman appoints PR agency
Mumbrella casts an eye over the major media, creative and public relations pitches at play in market.
In today’s wrap up: GroupM axes plan for ‘Team Red’ model in favour of appointing MEC; BMF appointed to GWF’s Golden brand; Harman appoints PR agency.
GroupM decides not to go with a bespoke ‘Team Red’ offering on Vodafone in Australia
Last week GroupM announced it had prised independent Bohemia’s biggest client away from the agency in a move that would allow “GroupM to align with global ‘Team Red’ arrangements”.
Team Red is a bespoke offering that services the telco in all markets around the world, except Australia, and GroupM also noted that the global team “already has significant experience overseas with Vodafone and the team is looking forward to extending this knowledge to the Australian market.”
However, today the company announced a backflip, saying it would not be setting up the Team Red unit here and that it would instead join MEC’s client list. Team Red is aligned with MEC globally.
MEC Australia CEO, James Hier, said, in a statement: “Vodafone Australia has gone through a significant period of transformation in the Australian market and is now in a much stronger position to challenge its competitors on network, customer service and innovative products.
“While the telco category is incredibly competitive and challenging, MEC is ready to take Vodafone Australia to greater heights through engaging campaigns across all media channels.”
Hier later added that on the decision to go with MEC rather than a bespoke solution: “The coordination of Team Red is led by MEC, our media agency of record. This arrangement allows Vodafone Hutchison Australia to access WPPAUNZ resources immediately.”
BMF appointed to be the creative agency on George Weston Foods Golden brand
George Weston Foods has appointed BMF as its lead creative agency for its Bakery Breakfast brand Golden , following a competitive pitch.
The Golden brand is best known for its crumpets and has been around since the 1950s.
Stephen McArdle, BMF managing director said, in a statement: “George Weston Foods is a FMCG business that still believes in the power of their brands and the difference brilliant creative ideas can make and are prepared to invest in those beliefs.
“We look forward to rising to the challenge and breathing new life into the icon that is Mr Golden and his rather scrumptious crumpets.”
Graeme Cutler, GWF marketing and innovations director, added: “We recognise the huge opportunity to grow the Bakery Breakfast category and we plan to kick off a new multi-channel campaign later in the year that will leverage Aussie’s love for Golden to bring more joy into people’s lives. ”
Harman’s audio electronics appoints Magnum & Co
PR agency Magnum & Co has been appointed as the agency of record for the Harman’s audio electronics brand which includes retail brands JBL and its high-end sister sound system Harman/Kardon.
The appointment comes following a competitive pitch process last month.
“Our team was impressed not only by the agency’s creativity, content ideas and strategic insights-led approach to our brief, but their obvious capability in running a really robust press office and great brand associations,” said Harman’s marketing and communication manager, Noeleen Lechner.
“Not only that, but our decision was as much about the right chemistry as anything else – we’re a tight-knit team here at Harman, so it was important that the agency who we’ll be working so closely with, in what we feel is going to be a very big year for us, was the complementary fit.”
Magnum & Co’s managing director, Michelle Hampton said she was pleased with the win.
“We’re ready to turn the volume up on both brands,” said Hampton. “If you look back, JBL have such an incredible legacy in music culture – it was there at Woodstock ’69, and it was there at Lollapalooza 2016. And already, having seen some of the amazing new products launching this year, we’re convinced it’s going to further cement JBL’s rep as a brand built on both innovation and killer sound – especially amongst millennials.
