BYD has handed the keys of its media account to WPP Media following a competitive pitch.
Independent agency Yango had handled BYD’s media buying and planning for the past two years.
WPP Media joins creative agency Taboo, and communications agencies Thrive and Acuity on BYD’s agency roster.
The account will be serviced via a bespoke WPP Media division, similar to how it services Suncorp and Nestle. WPP Media declined to comment on the win.
“BYD looks forward to our partnership with WPP Media as we enter an exciting next phase of growth in Australia, continuing to build the BYD brand and bring DENZA to the Australian market,” BYD ANZ chief marketing officer Kate Hornstein told B&T.
“This appointment reflects our deep commitment to Australia. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the WPP Media team as we look to scale thoughtfully and bring our vision to life.”
Yango’s recent work with BYD coincided with a 156 per cent lift in sales, brand awareness reaching 43 per cent and BYD becoming the highest selling EV manufacturer in Australia.
Yango’s work with BYD picked up a silver Cairns Crocodiles Award in the Effectiveness category in 2025.
“This is testament to our ‘people-focused, results-driven’ approach at Yango – the success we have seen together is what happens when human ingenuity meets a challenger brand like BYD,” Yango managing partner Luke Povee said.
“It has been a remarkable brand to work on, and we wish BYD continued success in the next phase of its growth.”
BYD, which entered Australia in 2022, is launching multiple new models in 2026, headlined by the SUV Sealion 8, the sedan Sealion 5 and the third-generation Atto 3.
It is among a number of Chinese EV manufacturers that have flooded the Aussie market.
BYD and others, such as Chery and Geely, typically review agency contracts every second year, leading to a flood of pitching activity in the market.
Short-term media agency retainers are not considered ideal to get the most out of an agency-client partnership, but B&T understands that Chinese car companies are known to offer appealing contracts.
Earlier this year, Bastion won the creative and media account for Geely, Mindshare and Kaimera won MG, and Dentsu drove away with the creative account for Chery in 2025.
