Optus is reviewing its media account as part of its procurement process.
UM initially won the account from Starcom in 2016 and held the telco’s account for the past eight years. The IPG media agency defended the account when it was up for pitch in 2019.
An Optus spokesperson told Mediaweek: “As part of our commitment to high standards of service, Optus conducts a review of all agencies as part of our procurement process every three years.
“This regular review ensures that we continue to work with partners who align with our values and deliver high-quality outcomes to meet the evolving needs of our business and customers.”
Optus’ media agency review comes after UM appointed Matt Evans as managing partner to lead the strategic media approach for the telco’s account.
At the time, Anathea Ruys, CEO at UM Australia said: “Optus is a powerful Australian brand focused on developing positive connections with people across Australia. The team at Optus are leading marketers who think strategically and have a clear, well-articulated vision and plan for the brand.
“This is an account that is so energising and exciting for people to work on, I knew that we needed an incredible leader for this team and from the first conversation I had with Matt, I was convinced he was the right person.
Earlier this year, Mediaweek confirmed that UM successfully defended the federal government’s master media account, beating out Omnicom’s PHD in the final stages of the competitive pitch.
At the time, a spokesperson from the Department of Finance told Mediaweek in a statement: “Universal McCann (UM), a division of Mediabrands Australia Pty Ltd, has been selected as the new Master Media Agency following a tender process. A Deed will be signed shortly following which the outcome will be published on AusTender.”
See also: UM defends federal government master media account