Samsung Australia is planning to review its creative and media agency requirements, putting Clemenger BBDO on notice.
B&T understands a formal review process has not begun, with agencies yet to receive a request for proposal (RFP), but the technology giant confirmed that a periodic review is in the offing.
A Samsung spokesperson told B&T: Samsung Australia works closely with a team of great agencies across multiple marketing and media disciplines. As part of our usual process, we periodically review our roster to ensure we continue to drive the best outcomes for our business.”
Samsung consolidated its creative, media, digital and social with Clemenger Group’s CHE Proximity (which was folded into Clemenger BBDO) in 2020. Currently, Sophie Gallagher is the group account lead for Samsung.
At the time, Samsung was looking to streamline the number of suppliers it had worked with in this market.
Prior to Clemenger BBDO, Publicis Group’s Leo Burnett (now Leo) handled the creative and media was housed within one of Omnicom Media’s agencies OMD or PHD.
B&T understands Samsung is happy with its partnership with Clems, but that it usually reviews its marketing services suppliers every few years.
Samsung and Clemenger BBDO stunned the industry at last year’s MFA Awards by picking up a huge haul of six awards—more than any other agency—including the coveted Grand Prix for its Clash of the Commuters campaign (see below).
After the event, Clemenger BBDO chief media officer Stuart Bailey told B&T the agency had “made a statement” at the MFA Awards.
Clemenger BBDO currently handles around $120 million in media billings, with Samsung comfortably its largest media client.
It is unclear if Samsung is planning to move away from a single full service agency model, and B&T is unaware of the review’s timeline.
Omnicom Media and Clemenger BBDO declined to comment about the review.
