Saatchi & Saatchi has filled some of the bank-shaped hole in its ledger with the ANZ sponsorship business.
StopPress understands there was no pitch involved in the lead-up to Saatchi’s appointment to the account.
ANZ’s sponsorship portfolio was previously managed by True, but with the agency recently picking up the ASB brand account it had to end its partnership with the blue bank.
True’s partnership with ANZ on the sponsorship front was previously based on a project basis, with the agency picking up work as it was required by the bank.
A statement from ANZ general manager of brand and marketing Astrud Burgess suggests that the bank will continue to employ a project approach with this part of the business.
“ANZ continues to work with a small number of partners on a project basis, in addition to our lead agencies TBWA and PHD,” Burgess says. “For the upcoming Commonwealth Games sponsorship, we are working alongside the New Zealand Olympic Committee with the team at Saatchi & Saatchi.”
Asked for his thoughts on the win, Saatchi & Saatchi chief executive Paul Wilson declined to comment.
Adding this business to the roster will, however, be good for the morale at the agency after the loss of the ASB business. It will also give chief creative officer Toby Talbot the opportunity to again work with the ANZ team, which he last collaborated with closely during his time at TBWA.
