EXCLUSIVE: Financial services brand ING Direct has appointed UM to its media account, marking the first major win for CEO Mat Baxter.
The win comes after a pitch which kicked off in November, and which came down to a three-way shootout between MEC, OMD and UM.
The account was previously handled by Mindshare, which held the business since 1999.
Both ING Direct and UM declined to comment. However, multiple industry sources confirmed the win to AdNews.
ING Direct is also in the process of pitching its creative, digital and direct accounts.
Jack Watts Currie is the incumbent on the creative account, while digital duties have previously been overseen by The Dubs and direct has been handled by BWM.
The appointment marks the first major business win for the agency since chief executive Mat Baxter took the helm just over 12 months ago. In that time, Baxter has unveiled a new “Big Boutique” positioning for the agency.
According to Nielsen, the advertiser spent an estimated $16.9 million in main media in the 12 months to October 2011, down from $26.9 million in the prior period.
A source close to the process has suggested the media business is actually worth several million dollars more in terms of billings.
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