Cheil Spain – WiZink
WiZink, the bank formerly known as BancoPopular-e, has appointed Cheil Spain as its first creative agency following a pitch. Cheil Spain beat a number of undisclosed agencies to win the business and will now work on all brand and product campaigns for the bank. WiZink, which is jointly owned by Värde Partners and Banco Popular, specialises in credit cards, providing credit and savings solutions to over 2.5 million customers. Cheil Spain’s first work for the bank will be an integrated launch campaign spanning outdoor, radio, and digital. The upcoming campaign will define the type of customers who bank with WiZink as “WiZinkers;” people who don’t like to complicate matters and who look for the simplest way of doing things.
Wieden+Kennedy Portland – Chobani
Back in March of 2015, Chobani dropped Droga5 as its agency of record, and while the brand won’t be returning to the AOR model, it has selected a lead creative agency in Weiden+Kennedy Portland. The appointment follows the arrival of Leland Maschmeyer as Chobani’s first chief creative officer in July. This is only the most recent in a series of changes for Chobani, which named Horizon Media as its new media agency of record in August and hired Galvea Kelly of L'Oreal as senior director of digital/content/social strategy and Danielle Cherry, formerly with StarcomStarcom, as senior director of media investment and connections planning. Additionally, Chobani has hired longtime consultant Lisa Gralnek as vice president of emerging platforms and Kwame Taylor-Hayford as managing director and head of creative technology and integrated production. She will report to chief marketing and brand officer Peter McGuinness while he will work under Maschmeyer. Taylor-Hayford has worked in the accounts and production departments of several agencies; he was most recently partner and director of integrated production at Sid Lee in New York. W+K Portland’s first ads for Chobani are expected to debut in Q1 of 2017.
OLIVER – The Guardian
Guardian News & Media has appointed in-house agency specialist to act as an in-house studio for the membership, marketing and consumer revenue department. A dedicated OLIVER Hub team complements the 12-strong presence on the ground at the Guardian’s office in King’s Cross. Robert Green, managing partner at OLIVER Group, said: “The Guardian has a strong, uncompromising reputation and a devoted readership. This is a great step in OLIVER’s growth and we’re very excited about working together.”
MullenLowe – Western Union
The world’s largest money transfer provider, Western Union, has consolidated its global media business with the MullenLowe network after a review in which it beat out Dentsu Aegis’ Vizeum and Publicis’ ZenithOptimedia. The global account is worth approximately $325 million. The UK based Profero, which was acquired by MullenLowe in 2014, has been Western Union’s digital media AOR since 2006. More than 9 years after that review, Western Union named mcgarrybowen as its first-ever global creative agency of record. The Dentsu network will continue to handle that work alongside the client’s in-house production unit BarBar Shop. The win is significant for MullenLowe, which will combine staff from the MullenLowe Mediahub and IPG Mediabrands organisations to create a new network called “Team Union.” It also marks the first global new business win for MullenLowe Mediahub since the entity was formed earlier this year as the union of IPG’s Mediahub and Profero’s Performance.
The Specialist Works – Charles Tyrwhitt
Charles Tyrwhitt, the multi-channel British clothing retailer has appointed media agency The Specialist Works to handle its media planning and buying account and will start immediately. This is the first campaign to be executed in the US following TSW’s recent acquisition of Elarbee Media in July. It marks the start of a transatlantic strategy to optimise customer acquisition. The Specialist Works has been tasked with driving media acquisition for the retailer in key markets including the US, Germany and Ireland. The comprehensive media strategy and specialist implementation aims to drive customer acquisition and engagement for the retail brand. The campaign includes inserts and press in the US, offline media in Ireland and placing inserts in the UK and Germany. The Specialist Works operates in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and most recently the US.
LIFE Agency – WKD
SHS Drinks has strengthened its agency roster for the much-anticipated reinvention of WKD with the appointment of integrated shop LIFE Agency following a competitive pitch. LIFE Agency’s initial remit will be to support the brand’s new ‘For the Now’ positioning within the on-trade. LIFE Agency will work on the channel strategy and implementation of that strategy as WKD aims to be more relevant to the core 18-24 year old target audience. Part of the agency’s remit will be working closely with the brand’s social media channels to ensure the brand celebrates the new ‘For the Now’ positioning in its purest form via bar. LIFE will also work closely with incumbent creative and media agencies Bray Leino & Mediacom respectively.
Ogilvy & Mather – Time to Change
Time to Change, the mental health awareness initiative, has appointed Ogilvy & Mather to handle its creative account after a competitive pitch. O&M will create an integrated campaign with "hard-hitting messages to cut through to audiences who are not yet engaged". The agency has been awarded a five-year contract. Time to Change is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and is funded by the Department of Health, the Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief. It launched in 2007.
Doner London – Huawei
Huawei Consumer Business Group, the World’s number three smartphone vendor, has appointed full service creative agency Doner London to develop a full suite of communications for the brand’s flagship P9 smartphone, voted the best European consumer smartphone 2016/17 by the EISA Awards. Launched in early 2016 to reinvent smartphone photography with a ground-breaking dual lens, the P9 has been co-engineered with award-winning camera manufacturer, Leica. Doner London was handed the work following a competitive pitch. The Doner team is tasked with driving mass engagement and advocacy for the P9 to grow its European consumer base. The integrated assignment will include digital, print, social & experiential. The first campaign will launch in September across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK. The win reinforces the growing strength of the agency following the appointment of new leadership in late 2015, the launch of a multi-million pound global campaign for footwear brand GEOX and the hire of four new senior positions in recent months.
J. Walter Thompson Japan – BMW
BMW Japan has tapped J. Walter Thompson Japan to develop the brand’s strategy and creative work for Japan. BMW Japan was established in 1981 as the first 100%-owned subsidiary of the German car maker in Japan. Since then BMW Japan has led the import car business, setting benchmarks in product, service and customer care initiatives. J. Walter Thompson Japan will officially start its role as the BMW lead creative agency from October, 2016. J. Walter Thompson Japan's ECD, Go Sahara, said: “We are going to dedicate every drop of our creativity to evolve this landmark, 100-year-old brand through a partnership that goes beyond a client-agency relationship.”
SteadyGo – Leeds Gin
Leeds Gin, a locally distilled and bottled artisan gin incorporating some of Yorkshire's finest botanicals, has hired creative agency SteadyGo to recreate its online presence. The Leeds-based agency will handle all design and development of the drinks manufacturer's website, which will be created in WordPress. The new Leeds Gin website will focus on visually promoting its products and solidifying its brand as an up-and-coming contender in the market. It also aims to create a distinguishable image of beverage, which has taken the city by storm since its launch party in February of this year.
