#BigReads2019: The big account moves of 2019 •

by Herman Manson (@marklives) We list the most-read-about account pitches and new business wins on MarkLives during the course of 2019 for our #BigReads2019 series.

#1. The banks kept flipping agencies

Absa, FNB and Standard Bank have all changed their agency lineups over the course of the last 13 months.

Nahana Communications Group‘s FCB Joburg lost the Absa Retail & Business Banking South Africa account, a part of the Barclays Africa Group (now Absa Group) B2C pitch that it won in 2016, which also included the group’s African regional offices. Absa’s RBB SA division instead appointed Wunderman Thompson South Africa as its new creative agency, effective 1 December 2019.

Standard Bank appointed M&C Saatchi Abel as its new TTL ad agency in June 2019, also tapping Ogilvy South Africa as its brand agency, Clockwork Media as its consumer PR (retail and business) agency, and Edelman as its key corporate reputation management agency.

In November 2019, Standard Bank ended its 10-year-old relationship with its digital agency, VML&YR South Africa, with Wunderman Thompson SA, another WPP agency with specialist digital and direct marketing capabilities, taking over the account. The bank also announced Mindshare South Africa as its new media agency, moving on from OMD South Africa and consolidating its media-buying portfolios across traditional and digital media.

At the end of 2018, Nedbank had appointed Joe Public United (previously its ATL agency) to its TTL account, with Levergy managing the sponsorship account and Digitas Liquorice managing digital creative.

African Bank appointed Black River FC as its ATL advertising agency in December 2018, following a four-way pitch against Network BBDO, Collective ID and incumbent agency, DDB.

#2. Distell consolidated, appointed WPP’s Liquid, Publicis Groupe

Distell consolidated its account, awarding it to a new WPP bespoke agency, Liquid, led by Paul Jackson and Fran Luckin (both from Grey South Africa). Previously, the company worked with with as many as 28 large agencies, plus a host of smaller ones. The seven big brands that moved to Liquid were Savanna, Hunter’s, Amarula, Viceroy, Bain’s, Scottish Leader and Hunter’s Edge. WPP is also servicing a number of Distell-owned local brands in Kenya.

Publicis Groupe, meanwhile, won the account for the second tranche of Distell brands, with Miles Murphy, Publicis Groupe Africa COO heading up the team working with Distell. As integrated communications partner, the group is managing all aspects of the marketing mix, including advertising, digital, social, PR, media and activations for Bernini, Extreme, Count Pushkin, Gordon’s, JC Le Roux, Klipdrift, Olof Bergh, Richelieu and Three Ships.

#3. Brand South Africa, SA Tourism went out to tender

In March 2019, Brand South Africa’s advertising and digital marketing accounts went out to tender; in the instance of its digital business, for a third time in less than two years. Brand SA is mandated to build South Africa’s nation brand reputation internationally, while domestically it aims to build pride and patriotism among South Africans. Its website shows the tender has closed but does not announce a winning bid.

In April 2019 and again in June 2019 the marketing and communications account for South African Tourism Board (SA Tourism) went out to tender. As shortlist was issues but that was the last we heard of it.

#4. McDonald’s South Africa appointed a new lead agency

McDonald’s South Africa appointed Pacinamix as its new ATL lead agency. Pacinamix is an integrated services, trading and management consulting group. The incumbent ATL agency, Leo Burnett South Africa (formerly Owen Kessel Leo Burnett) — which was appointed in mid-2015 and took up the account in October that year — has remained an agency partner on a non-exclusive basis.

McDonald’s South Africa appoints new lead agency

#5. Wunderman Thompson SA won BMW Group

BMW Group South Africa moved both its BMW and MINI brands to Wunderman Thompson SA, which is now working on various aspects of the account, including ATL, digital, social and direct, experiential, content and CRM. The appointment came into effect June 2019.

Previously, the business was held by Openco (recently incorporated into Grid Worldwide), which was appointed mid 2015, and before that by Ireland/Davenport (now Collective ID), of which it was a founding client. MINI was managed by MullenLowe SA and Black River FC before that.

EXCLUSIVE: Wunderman Thompson SA on BMW Group win

#6. Game South Africa appointed The Odd Number, Ogilvy SA

Game South Africa appointed The Odd Number as its new brand agency, and Ogilvy South Africa as its retail agency, effective 1 July 2019.

Game South Africa appoints creative agencies

#7. Hyundai South Africa moved to Grid

Hyundai South Africa appointed Grid Worldwide as its new lead ad agency. The business was previously held by FoxP2, which it won in mid-March 2017, and before that The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) held it in a relationship spanning 16 years.

EXCLUSIVE: Hyundai South Africa moves to Grid

#8. Hollard, M&C Saatchi Abel parted ways

After half a decade, insurance group Hollard parted ways with M&C Saatchi Abel due to conflict issues. The ad agency had recently been awarded the TTL business of Standard Bank, and this win was cited for the split.

EXCLUSIVE: Hollard, M&C Saatchi Abel part ways, citing conflict work

#9. Sasol appointed Riverbed

TTL creative communications agency, Riverbed, was selected as the corporate communications agency for SA integrated energy and chemical company, Sasol, following a pitch.

Sasol appoints comms agency

#10. Sanlam appointed Machine

Sanlam Group appointed Machine (formerly Publicis Machine) as its internal communications partner to deliver communications to its 30 000+ staff and key stakeholders across Africa.

EXCLUSIVE: Sanlam appoints internal comms partner

#BigReads2019: The big account moves of 2019