UM retains Australian Government master media agency contract
The Australian Government has announced a three year extension of its master media agency contract to Universal McCann (UM).
This extension sees UM continue to oversee one of the biggest media accounts in the country for the government until June 2024.
Brett Elliot, GM of UM Canberra
As part of the contract, UM will continue to provide media strategy, planning and buying services to the Australian Government. The agency was initially awarded the contract in July 2018. UM also previously held the contract from 2002 to 2014.
In 2014, the account was won by Dentsu Mitchell (now Dentsu X) in partnership with AdCorp.
In 2016, Dentsu Mitchell said it would deliver all of the non-campaign work for the Australian Government without partnering with Adcorp.
Brett Elliot, general manager of UM Canberra said: “It is a privilege to continue working with the many government entities covered by the master media agency contract.
“Certainly since the beginning of 2020 there have been complex communications challenges that, from a media perspective, have required creativity and speed-to-market. Our partnership with the Australian Government has been strong and successful.”
Recently appointed UM Australia CEO, Anathea Ruys, said: “I offer my sincere congratulations to Brett and the UM Australian Government Team on being awarded this new contract. With the review period now finalised the team is focused on growing their partnerships with their government counterparts to create brilliant work and communications outcomes into the future.”
Ruys was appointed CEO of UM in March this year, following the departure of Fiona Johnston. She joined the Mediabrands agency after spending four years as managing director of Carat in the USA. Johnston has returned to the UK.
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Calum Jaspan was news editor at Mumbrella, based in Melbourne. He was also the producer and host of the Mumbrellacast. He left Mumbrella in May 2023.
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