Saatchi scoops Westpac account

By IRENE CHAPPLE

Advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand broke its run of bad news in spectacular fashion last night, winning the $30 million transtasman account of Westpac in a pitch likely to be the biggest this year.

The long-drawn-out pitch has provided plenty of gossip since it was launched in February.

The agencies involved became a fun guessing game for the media and the industry.

Despite Westpac's tightlipped tactics, names leaked. Australian incumbent Singleton Ogilvy & Mather and New Zealand incumbent Saatchi & Saatchi were obvious players.

First to go among other hopefuls were DDB and McCann-Erickson, as well as Clemenger BBDO due to conflict of interest. Most shocking was the early demise of Singleton Ogilvy & Mather, which had held the account for just over a year.

Westpac would not talk about it at the time; now it says the agency was employed for an Australian market, and it did not meet the criteria for the transtasman work.

Publicis Mojo was a name that popped up late in the piece. It had been very quiet about its participation - indeed, the New Zealand office initially denied to the Business Herald it was involved.

It was revealed as a hopeful after being dumped by client ASB Bank when it discovered the agency was in the running to work for a competitor.

The gamble was unsuccessful. Publicis was in the second cut, with Young & Rubicam.

Two names began to dominate the field. Saatchi & Saatchi was one. The Campaign Palace - affiliated with New Zealand's GeneratorBates - the other. Saatchi & Saatchi was tipped as a favourite.

Yesterday, Saatchi & Saatchi was told it had won. An evening video-link meeting between the Wellington and Auckland offices was hastily set up after the Business Herald broke the news to a staff member.

Westpac general manager marketing and products Michelle van Gaalen said Saatchi & Saatchi won because it was strong across various attributes.

"It was close," she said.

Westpac wanted a consistent transtasman brand after it dropped "Trust" from its New Zealand name this year.

A kernel of an idea had been created through the pitch process, but still needed work.

Van Gaalen said it was different from the Knowledge campaign at present running, but a campaign would not be in the market until the last quarter of this year.

Saatchi & Saatchi chief executive Ian Christie said he would be celebrating with a Steinlager.

Generous of him, considering Steinlager was one of several brands that dumped the agency last year.

The agency also lost senior staff last year, including chief executive Kim Wicksteed and creative director Gavin Bradley.