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Qantas opts for two independent agencies on three-strong creative agency roster

Screen Shot 2015-12-10 at 11.05.11 amNational airline Qantas has settled on a new roster of advertising agencies with The Monkeys, With Collective and BWM Dentsu all on the list, Mumbrella understands.

Mumbrella revealed last week agencies had been pitching credentials to land a roster place on one of Australia’s most prestigious accounts, after the death of Neil Lawrence who masterminded the last brand campaign and the demise of Droga5 Sydney.

It is understood M&C Saatchi and Special Group were also in contention in the pitch.

Special Group joined the roster earlier this year and produced work for the airline’s business suite, while M&C is understood to have pitched the business despite having Emirates as a global client.

While With Collective has been on the roster for the brand for some time working on a number of projects for the Frequent Flyer part of the brand both The Monkeys and BWM are new to the roster.

Earlier this year Dentsu Aegis acquired 51 per cent of BWM, which boasts REA Group, Simplot and TAB as clients.

It is also another blue chip client added to the roster for independent shop The Monkeys which has been handling the majority of the Telstra brand work recently.

All agencies contacted declined to comment.

It is understood that Qantas will continue to advertise using the tone set by Neil Lawrence under the tagline Feels Like Home.

Earlier this year Qantas’ marketing chief Olivia Wirth said at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit the airline preferred a roster approach.

“There is an obsession about it and I don’t really get it,” Wirth said when asked about its agency partners. “Yes, we work with a lot of agencies and increasingly there are a lot of agencies that are boutique. They are very good at some things and don’t focus on others.

“So yes we work with a lot of agencies from time to time. Neil Lawrence was the right person [for the Feels Like Home campaign]. We worked with him for 12 to 18 months and he was absolutely the right person. He understands Australia.

“So yes there will be a changing roster and I guess that’s life.”

 

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