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Woolworths takes Everyday Rewards creative account to pitch

Woolworths Group has taken the Everyday Rewards creative account to pitch, Mumbrella can reveal.

Woolworths confirmed the pitch with Mumbrella on Tuesday evening but provided no comment.

Mumbrella understands TBWA and Howatson+Co are on the shortlist.

The incumbent was M+C Saatchi, which held the account since 2017. M+C Saatchi remains the lead agency on the Woolworths brand, but will no longer service the Everyday Rewards portfolio.

M+C Saatchi declined to comment.

The agency was also previously the incumbent on Big W — part of Woolworths Group — which was picked up by 72andSunny following another pitch.

Big W and Everyday Rewards last month functionally separated from one another, with monthly Big W discounts no longer available through the subscription-based Everyday Extra program. Rewards members can still collect points at Big W, however. The move attracted criticism online from members.

The news comes amid a structure realignment for M+C Saatchi, which sees the Asia-Pacific business transition to being led from the Singapore HQ. This led to Justin Graham, the Sydney-based APAC CEO, stepping down.

It also said goodbye to Michael McEwan, CEO of the ANZ agency, who announced his move to Droga5 Melbourne last month, where he will be director of Melbourne.

Dani Bassil joins in a newly created role of group CEO ANZ from Clemenger BBDO Australia where she was CEO. Bassil departed earlier this year amid the agency’s restructure and absorption of Clemenger Group stablemates Chep Network and Traffik.

M+C Saatchi’s local leadership team of Steve Coll, Tanya Vragalis, Jenn Butler, Benjamin Harrison and Jen Hegarty will report to Bassil.

It will be a difficult start for Bassil, with one of her first major responsibilities being rehoming Yes Agency staffers, following the loss of major client Optus.

Earlier in June, the network also announced it would be retiring Bohemia in Australia, as part of a global media strategy restructure. Global CEO Zaid Al-Qassab said the agency’s focus is on areas where it can “lead with a truly differentiated offering”, and Bohemia no longer met that criteria. It has subsequently lost clients including Nando’s.

M+C Saatchi has instead renewed its commitment to M+C Saatchi Performance, the group’s global media offering, as a “decisive step” to future-proof.

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