Wavemaker has won the $20 million-rated media account for insurance group Allianz following a global pitch that saw the company align most of its media operations within GroupM.
Mindshare will lead the business globally and in two-thirds of markets around the world. EssenceMediacom will continue to work on the account in nine international markets. GroupM-backed agency MSix&Partners will support Allianz in its native Germany. The remit includes responsibility for full-funnel media strategy, planning, buying, and campaign execution. Publicis’ Spark Foundry had been the incumbent on the Australian account.
Other non-GroupM incumbents for the business include Omnicom, Publicis agencies and Jellyfish.
This latest win caps an exceptional year for Wavemaker with the agency winning a number of new accounts and being crowned B&T‘s Media Agency of the Year at the end of November (pictured above). The agency’s Australian CEO Peter Vogel said the gong was a “just reward” for the “blood, sweat and tears” the agency’s staff had expended during the year.
Christian Deuringer, head of global brand management and marketing at Allianz SE, said: “With the new partnership, we are able to deploy our ‘One brand strategy’ perfectly and connect with our customers in an even more relevant way across the entire customer journey.
“The new set-up combines the strengths of globally managed strategies with tailored roll-outs in local markets. We also expect significant synergies through more standardised processes and performance measurement.”
“Millions of people around the world trust Allianz to safeguard their futures for good reason,” said Adam Gerhart, global CEO of Mindshare.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to help such a respected brand and responsible company harness the power of media to unlock new levels of growth, engagement, and marketing performance.”
Vogel declined to comment when contacted by B&T.
Ogilvy Group won Allianz’s global creative account in 2014 but the brand worked with Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam on a revamp of its “Get ready for the best” campaign this year. It has also worked with Edelman in 2023.
The insurer’s local creative agency is Howatson+Company.
