Saatchi & Saatchi and Starcom New Zealand have been appointed by Chorus as its new creative and media agencies, following a competitive pitch that began at the end of 2016.
StopPress understands the three-way pitch for creative agency involved Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB and incumbent agency Contagion.
Head of marketing Karren Harker says Saatchi & Saatchi and Starcom demonstrated a clear understanding of Chorus’ role in the market, with thinking that was coherent, fresh and aligned with the brand.
“It showed great potential and we’re looking forward to working together,” she says.
Saatchi & Saatchi will work with Chorus across the board on its marketing communications, driving strategy and creative as well as digital and supporting campaign PR. The agency’s new creative will make its first appearance in the market from May onwards.
Commenting on its appointment, Saatchi & Saatchi managing director of Paul Wilson says: “Chorus is an amazing, purpose driven organisation with people who are genuinely passionate about bringing New Zealand better broadband. We’re excited to be able to help them share this with the country.”
CEO of Starcom New Zealand Alistair Jamison added it’s excited to partner with Chorus to deliver some great work in the future.
StopPress contacted Contagion managing director Dean Taylor about the loss, and he congratulated Saatchi & Saatchi for the win.
“We had four great years with Chorus and we wish them all the best of luck.”
During those years, the agency was responsible for a campaign that depicted early internet moments in a museum exhibition. It was developed to draw awareness of the 60 percent of New Zealanders who, at the time, had access to better broadband but hadn’t yet taken advantage of its availability in their regions.
On a bigger scale, the internet provider has also worked on delivering ultra-fast broadband to New Zealand through the Gigatown campaign, via Chameleon Partners.
The campaign ran over 13 months, drawing entries from towns and cities across the country in the hopes of being turned into the Gigabit town of the future. Dunedin was the winner.
And more recently, it launched a layered content-led campaign, through ICG and its subsidiary Tangible Media, which consists of a quarterly magazine and a website called The Download.
