News

WPP AUNZ agency Team Red disbands, but group continues work with Vodafone

WPP AUNZ’s bespoke agency, Team Red, which was established to cover Vodafone’s marketing accounts has been disbanded, but the accounts the team serviced have remained within the holding group.

The news comes as Vodafone reveals its new brand identity, courtesy of WPP AUNZ’s creative agency VMLY&R, production business Hogarth and media agency Wavemaker.

WPP AUNZ commented to Mumbrella: “WPP AUNZ continues to provide Vodafone with a full suite of services including media, creative, and production. Expertise from across the company’s brands work on the account but will no longer operate under the ‘Team Red’ name.”

Vodafone’s new brand identity is built on the platform ‘You Rule’, communicating that its customers have the power and are ‘at the heart of everything it does.’

Vodafone Australia’s general manager of brand, Adam Slattery, said the change was motivated by the brand’s relationship with its customers.

“Vodafone has always put its customers at the heart of everything we do. We were the first Australian telco to introduce game-changing offerings like no lock-in contracts and a range of endless mobile data plans. Our continued commitment to great customer service has yielded the lowest [Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman] complaints of the big three telcos,” Slattery said.

“‘You Rule’ tells our customers, without hesitation, that they are firmly in the driver’s seat when it comes to their Vodafone experience. Everything we do, from the plans we create to the products we sell, is about empowering our customers.”

The OOH execution

The concept of ruling also plays into the launch campaign, featuring Vodafone customers dressed as Medieval royalty.

The integrated campaign is running across television and OOH, with additional brand elements rolling out in Vodafone’s retail stores, contact centres and offices.

Slattery added: “Over the years we have developed plans and products that reflect consumers’ changing behaviours and ensure they are empowered to connect how they want. We will continue to challenge the industry with the ‘You Rule’ philosophy, with a series of new value packed offerings launching in the coming months.”

Team Red was created in 2019, in order to streamline the work on Vodafone across WPP’s agencies, including Wavemaker and Wunderman Thompson. Wunderman Thompson was appointed to the creative account in 2017, when it was known as J Walter Thompson (JWT) prior to its merger with Wunderman.

Last year the bespoke agency made headlines when its former managing director, Carmel Williamson, took WPP AUNZ to court over the lack of support and “boys club” culture that she said led to her needing psychological treatment. The case was settled in November.

In September 2019, Vodafone shifted its global media account from Wavemaker to the Dentsu Aegis Network’s Carat. However, the local relationship with the WPP agency remains.

UPDATE – 4 August 3:09pm

WPP AUNZ responded to Mumbrella’s question about staff changes following Team Red’s disbandment: “WPP AUNZ implemented some changes to Vodafone account several months ago which created a range of new employee opportunities while a very small number of other positions moved to other parts of our business or left. Change across our employee base is normal and is part of the ebb and flow of agency life and therefore we will not be making further comment.”

Credits

Vodafone
GM Marketing – Adam Slattery
Head of Brands – Danielle Colbert
Brand Manager – Rianne Shuwer
Marketing Operations – Meredith Ansoul

VMLY&R
Chief Strategy Officer – Alison Tilling
Managing Partner – Josh Peacock
Chief Creative Officer AUNZ – Paul Nagy
Planning Director Sydney – Alice Green
Creative Director – Ross Weythman
Senior Copywriter Creative: Justin Schoenmaker
Senior Creative: Bryce Waters
Creative Traffic Manager – Rachel Rider
Senior Account Manager – Cary Plott
Art Director- Rosie Gearside
Copywriter – Tatsuki Kamekawa
Design Director – Elliot Owen
Social Marketing Specialist – August Lantay-Lefkovich

Hogarth
Director – Damien TooGood
National Content Director – Brendan Thomas
Executive Producer – Tanya Perl
Producer – Nick Simkins
Senior Producer Post-Production – Fiona Patterson
Post Production Supervisor – Michael Messih
Social & Still Producer – Holly Whiteley
VFX Supervisor – Caleb De Leon
Head of Business Partnerships – Rob Odd

Photographer, Stills and Social – Juli Balla (The Kitchen)

Wavemaker
Ian Edwards – Managing Director
James Boardman – National Strategy Partner
Emily Cook – Media Lead
James Turner – Planning Senior Manager

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