Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) has announced the appointment of J. Walter Thompson (Sydney) as its new creative partner.

The selection of JWT follows a creative review which began last December, will see the agency work across Vodafone’s entire communications spectrum, including brand and retail, CVM, social and CX/UX.

JWT’s offering will also include the CX expertise from digital agency Webling.

The move sees VHA further consolidate its relationship with WPP AUNZ following the appointment of fellow agency MEC, which manages the telco’s media account.

“We have selected JWT via our long-term relationship with WPP as Vodafone’s full service marketing communications agency,” VHA’s consumer business director, Ben McIntosh, said.

“We believe JWT has brought together a formidable team that will help position Vodafone as a real alternative in the telecommunications market.”

McIntosh said that bringing the key marketing disciplines closer together under the WPP AUNZ umbrella is an opportunity for the company to streamline and simplify its local marketing operations.

“Having everything housed under WPP provides the added benefit of enabling us to coordinate our efforts to be more agile, responsive and smart in our approach to reaching customers, consumers and businesses,” he said.

JWT’s Sydney managing director, Jenny Willits, said the agency was thrilled to add Vodafone to its client roster and become the latest market to be part of WPP and Vodafone’s global relationship.

“It’s an exciting time to be leading the creative focus for Vodafone,” she said.

“With new teams on both the client and agency side, plus the opportunity to extend our working relationship with our sister agency MEC, we believe our collective teams are truly set up for success and will drive growth for the Vodafone brand.”

“This latest win caps off a fantastic growth period for the agency, and we are looking forward to bringing our ideas to market and being a major part of Vodafone’s success going forward.”

WPP AUNZ boss Mike Connaghan said that the shift to a tighter, more integrated agency model is about enabling Vodafone to work seamlessly with best in breed experts from across the WPP AUNZ group.

“This is a great example of our strategy in action,” he said.

“It’s about bringing together the best people and thinking from across our group to create better, smarter ideas to grow their business.”