EXCLUSIVE: At least two agencies have been left fuming after battling it out in an increasingly elaborate pitch for the Sportsbet creative, only for the betting firm to pick neither.
Six agencies tendered for the business with Grey and Banjo making it to the final stages of the pitch, which B&T revealed in October and involved in-depth research at the closing stages at the client’s request.
However, it is understood responsibility for the process was handed to a different team member at Sportsbet during the pitch, which led to time-consuming changes to the briefs.
Despite the significant time and resources investment neither was handed the contract, and it is understood the bookmaker is now not looking to launch a brand campaign in the first half of 2013.
Sportsbet has been forging a reputation in the market for bold and humorous advertising in recent months, notably with its remake of the Commonwealth Bank ‘Ode to Can’ advert, featuring the word Punt.
This caused controversy, and led to the betting brand calling on CommBank staff to join them in a dance-off, which the bank declined.
In a statement head of marketing Barni Evans told B&T: “We received some great work, and then worked in detail two agencies. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the original ideas to a state where we believed passionately that they were brilliant campaigns.”
Neither Banjo nor Grey could be reached for comment.
