Indie agency SPEED has won the media account for commercial vehicles brand LDV, B&T can reveal.
The account is worth some $30 million and represents a significant win for the SPEED Agency. Publicis’ media shop Spark Foundry had been the incumbent but decided not to enter the pitch for the new work. Instead, Publicis Groupe re-pitched for the LDV account via a bespoke solution called LDV Ignite.
“It goes without saying, that we are absolutely thrilled to have won a pitch for such a large and prestigious account as LDV. We have built an ambitious and formidable team at SPEED and it’s so rewarding for those talented people to prove their abilities at the highest level. That ambition is matched by the lovely team at LDV as they continue to make significant inroads into the Australian automotive market, and we can’t wait to get started,” SPEED’s managing partner, Ian Perrin, told B&T.
“It is also a ringing endorsement for all indies who are increasingly proving they can win large and complex media accounts. So, we’re thrilled to be part of that trend”.
LDV is a division of SAIC (Shanghai Automobile and Industrial Corporation), the largest automotive manufacturer in China. The brand launched in the Australian market in 2013 with a range of vans, utes and SUVs. In Europe, LDV is one of the most recognised commercial vehicle brands.
B&T has contacted Spark Foundry for comment.
Last month, Perrin fired a shot across the bows of the big holding companies, writing in B&T that if they wanted to see “new shit” they need only look at Australia’s independent agencies.
“If the multi-national groups want to see where innovation and ‘new shit’ is truly happening, then they need to open their eyes to what indies are doing, understand why they are losing business to them, and ultimately why they are winning all the awards,” he wrote.
