Z Energy is testing the agency waters and is thought to have put a number of its accounts up for review.
StopPress believes this includes creative, media, PR and digital. Z Energy wouldn’t provide any comment as it is partway through what it says is a closed process.
As far as the incumbents go, Z works with Assignment on creative, J.Walter Thompson on retail, Mediacom on media and Heyday on digital.
In 2015, Z Energy reviewed its relationship with Assignment Group, undergoing a review process of its creative account.
The pitch involved several agencies and Assignment retained the account.
“We’ve been through a very thorough process to review our brand agency partner,” said Z Energy spokesperson Jonathan Hill at the time. “At the five- year mark of our journey as a local company (1 April) the time was right for us to review this part of our business; particularly with the focus and importance we place on brand.”
StopPress contacted Assignment about the account review and it passed us on to WPP and Z for information.
According to Nielsen Ad Intel rate card figures, between May 2017 and April 2018, Z’s advertising spend was $11,094,915. This followed a spend of $17,371,486 between May 2016 and April 2017.
Most recently, Z has been promoting its long-running Good in the Hood competition, which sees all Z stations giveaway $5,000 to neighbourhood groups that help people who need it.
A series of videos featuring the groups vying for the cash was shared online and on TV, giving them a chance to explain why they are deserving.
Over the last few years, 213 Z stations have given $5.19 million to 2,499 groups.
Not only is it supporting local communities, Z’s campaigns have also seen it show support for the environment – and admit that it is part of the problem. Last year it released ‘NZ we have a problem – We can do better’, thought to be by Assignment Group.
For the effort, it won Colmar Brunton’s March Ad Impact Award, a repeat win after ‘Small things mean more’ won the March Ad Impact Award in 2016.
That campaign was also thought to have been by Assignment Group.
