March’s new business winners podiums have a decidedly Omnicom flavour to them, with UM and ‘Goldilocks’, its new bespoke agency for Westpac NZ, topping the pile.
March was a reasonably busy, with B&T recording 18 account moves over the course of the month. Unlucky to miss out on the podiums this month were Atomic 212 and Leo after they won the media and creative work for accountancy body CPA.
Zenith’s global retention of the Essilor Luxotica account would have made the top three if it was a piece of new business, too.
Droga5’s winning of Qantas ‘Project Sunrise’ account is impressive and could open the door for further work with the airline. But that remains to be seen.
But now, here are the winners. You can also check out the rest of our extensive new business coverage here.
Creative Agencies
Bronze – 2045
One eye-catching win, for B&T at least, was 2045 becoming the lead creative agency for Irish whisky brand Jameson.
The appointment will see 2045 responsible for developing Jameson’s cultural platforms and leading brand activations across Australia, spanning sport, music and real moments that connect the brand with Aussie drinkers.
The agency will work closely with Pernod Ricard’s marketing team and agency village to bring Jameson’s global brand platform to life locally, delivering creative campaigns and live experiences designed to embed the brand deeper into Australian culture.
The partnership builds on 2045’s growing relationship with Pernod Ricard, following the agency’s work on Altos Tequila’s Australian Open partnership, which generated national media coverage and large scale consumer engagement during the tournament.
“2045 demonstrated a clear understanding of how to translate that spirit into ideas that live in culture and create real experiences for consumers. We’re excited to partner with them to bring the brand to life in new and meaningful ways,” said Belinda Sanderson, head of dark spirits, RTD and prestige at Pernod Ricard Pacific.
Silver – Bureau of Everything
Another important win for B&T was the Bureau of Everything winning Domino’s creative account (can you see where our priorities lie?) across Australia and New Zealand.
Bureau will work with Domino’s internal marketing and franchisee team to accelerate growth, by capturing what makes Domino’s a hit with customers whilst dialling up the fun and irreverence at the heart of the brand.
“We’re not just refreshing the look and feel, we’re reimagining how the whole brand shows up, from the food to the experience to the way we talk to our customers,” Domino’s ANZ head of brand and campaigns Teneille Papp said.
“Bureau of Everything brought exactly the kind of strategic sharpness and creative ambition we needed for this moment. They get who we are, they get who we want to be, and they’re not interested in playing it safe.”
Gold – Omnicom
Taking the top spot this month, however, is Omnicom Oceania after it won Westpac NZ’s combined creative and media work from Publicis agencies Saatchi & Saatchi, Spark Foundry, and Digitas NZ.
This does mean that the win isn’t a purely creative account. But such is our adherence to our own new business winners dogma that we’re putting it here.
It’s the first account publicly won by Omnicom Oceania, the new structure created to combine all of the holdco’s capabilities under one roof.
As such, Goldilocks will help Westpac accelerate a refreshed brand strategy and deliver more distinctive, connected experiences for customers across the Ditch.
“The way New Zealanders think about their money is changing rapidly. Expectations are higher, competition is more intense, and brands are judged not just on what they say, but how consistently they show up,” said Westpac NZ CMO Sarah Williams.
“Goldilocks is something we designed together, which means it was never going to be conventional.
“At the same time, the model gives us the vital ability to draw on specialist talent across insights and data, earned and owned media, technology, and production without the weight of a traditional structure.”
Media Agencies
Bronze – Dentsu
Taking the Bronze media medal this month is Dentsu after it won the global media account for Tapestry, the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade.
Dentsu is in charge of the handbag purveyor’s media across Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India.
“APAC is a priority growth region for Tapestry and our brands. As we continue to accelerate across the region, having the right media partner is critical. Throughout the pitch process, dentsu stood out for their deep understanding of our brands, strong local market insight, and ability to translate strategic ambition into meaningful consumer connections,” said Kylene Campos, senior vice president of brand and growth strategy APAC, Tapestry Inc.
Silver – Accenture Song
Accenture Song’s media division won its second account last month: Australia Post. And it was a story you read first in B&T.
The win came following a long pitch process in which incumbent agency Wavemaker and Atomic 212 featured on the shortlist.
Sources close to the review process said that Accenture Song is the final horse in the race with final negotiations taking place.
B&T understands the scope of work extends beyond a typical media planning and buying brief, with a business transformation element that plays to Accenture Song’s strengths.
Gold – UM
Taking the top spot this month is UM. The now-Omnicom shop won the global Dyson media account worth in the order of AU$750 million around the world and $30 million in the US.
While it is technically a retention, the change in ownership globally would have had quite the impact on the pitch’s shape.
The review, which began late last year, is a major win for Omnicom since it combined with IPG Mediabrands to create the largest advertising holding company in the world.
It is also the first major retention for UM’s new leader Stevie Douglas-Neal, who replaced Anathea Ruys in February.
