The curious case of Vodafone, Hutchison and Ikon’s uninvited guest
Although the agency still hasn’t officially been told, Ikon appears to have lost Vodafone to Mitchell Communication Group in a blow all the more bitter after Mitchells CEO Stuart Mitchell turned up uninvited at Ikon’s anniversary party.
The Vodafone media pitch has become one of the most infamous of the decade after incumbent Ikon, along with PHD and Universal McCann, invested large amounts of time and money in bidding for the account before the process was put on hold due to the merger of Vodafone with Hutchison’s 3.
The merger saw Mitchells enter the frame via its existing relationship with Hutchison 3, which the agency did the media buying for. Despite it also holding the Optus account through Mitchells’ majority-owned agency MPG, senior sources within Vodafone have let it be known that the account is set to go to Mitchells.
The long standing relationship between Mitchells chairman Harold Mitchell and Vodafone Hutchison Australia boss Nigel Dews has been cited as a crucial factor.
Darren Woolley of Trinity P3, which conducted the original pitch for Vodafone, declined to comment on what had gone on in recent weeks, but he offered the general comment on pitches: “The best process is to open it to the market and invite everyone to take part in an open and transparent way.”
And matters took another turn when Stuart Mitchell showed up at Ikon’s anniversary celebration. The agency had held an event at Customs House and afterwards took guests to an afterparty at The Paragon. Mitchell walked into the event and some of those present believe he used the opportunity to chat to at least one of Ikon’s Vodafone clients who was there.
Senior management at Ikon refused to discuss the incident, but Mumbrella understands that an emailed apology from Mitchell was received by the agency. Mitchell was on voicemail today and did not return Mumbrella’s call.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Communication Group today announced it was promoting Paul Davey to MD of the company’s media division.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
Good on Mitchell – all’s fair in love, war and pitches.
User ID not verified.
Same as vodaphone the company, very sloppy, very tacky…who’d use them?
User ID not verified.
‘Vodafone’. There is no ‘ph’. Talk about sloppy…
User ID not verified.
I only wanted to use the gents!
User ID not verified.
Kings English my son, Kings english !!
User ID not verified.
If Mitchells were that rude, then their new recruit will fit into the culture perfectly!
User ID not verified.
I remember the Ikon guys heading off early after the B&T awards last year to work all weekend on the Vodafone pitch.
Those poor buggers have been well and truly screwed if the stories true.
If clients worked agency side for a month they’d die from the abuse.
User ID not verified.
The so called merger looks more like a take over every day between Hutch and Vodafone… Watch out Clems the reign of Dews’ is upon you!
User ID not verified.
hey Andrew, (Comment # 7)
I’ve done both client and agency side and let me tell you, it’s much better being a client.
User ID not verified.