Clemenger BBDO is out of the running in Samsung’s creative and media reviews, B&T can reveal. Publicis Groupe is tipped to win the account and is Samsung’s agency of record in most markets around the world.
Samsung called a review of its creative and media planing and buying requirements earlier this year. The pitches are running concurrently but separate, and are being led by Samsung’s global team.
Several sources have told B&T both pitch processes are ongoing, with the creative review down to three.
Omnicom Oceania chief executive Nick Garrett confirmed that Clemenger BBDO is not one of the agencies that has progressed to the final round.
“Following the outcome of Samsung’s recent agency review, Clemenger BBDO will not continue as Samsung’s creative and media partner beyond the current arrangement,” he told B&T.
“Multiple people across our network have worked on this business over the past seven years with enormous care and love and we believe that is reflected in the work and impact we’ve been able to achieve together.
“Given BBDO has been an outlier in Samsung’s global media agency alignment, we’re proud to have maintained such a strong and enduring partnership here in Australia for as long as we have. We thank Samsung for the trust and collaboration over the years and wish the team every success moving forward.”
A Samsung spokesperson said: “Samsung Australia recognises the efforts of every participating agency in its recent roster review; and can confirm the process continues, with all involved agencies notified of the next stage. No further comment will be provided at this time.”
Publicis in the running
B&T understands that Publicis Groupe is still active in both reviews, leaving the door ajar for them to win the consolidated creative, media, digital and social account. One source told B&T that locally Publicis is quietly confident it could win the lot after pitching presentations, although no final decision has been made on whether Samsung will go down this path. Publicis Groupe declined to comment on the review.
Publicis Groupe works with Samsung in most markets across the world, and Leo has a long association with the brand, including working with it in this market prior to Clemenger.
The Korean consumer electronics giant consolidated its creative, media, digital and social with Clemenger Group’s CHE Proximity (which was folded into Clemenger BBDO) in 2020. At the time, Samsung was looking to streamline the number of suppliers it had worked with in this market.
B&T understands that the local Samsung team have a strong working relationship with the agency.
Samsung’s decision to part ways with Clemenger BBDO comes in the wake of award-winning work by the agency.
Last year, Clemenger BBDO and Samsung stunned the industry by taking out the MFA Awards Grand Prix for its Clash of the Commuters campaign (see below).
Following that success, Clemenger BBDO chief media officer Stuart Bailey told B&T the Clems media team numbered around 50 people, and that combining the agency’s media muscle with Clems creative heritage was an enticing proposition for clients.
Sophie Gallagher, who had previously led the Samsung account, left the business in January to become group strategy director at M+C Saatchi.
Reporting by Arvind Hickman and Tom Fogden.
