Credit: Clay Banks via Unsplash
AdNews wraps up the biggest pitch news and wins from the fortnight.
Atomic 212˚ extends NT Government media contract
Atomic 212˚ has extended its media services contract with the Northern Territory Government, keeping the account until March 2027, AdNews revealed.
The Department of Corporate and Digital Development confirmed the Provision of Media Services contract has been extended by 12 months to March 31, 2027, in accordance with the contract.
The account covers Tourism NT and broader government media buying, with annual billings of more than $10 million.
The extension continues a long-running relationship.
Droga5 ANZ wins Qantas ‘Project Sunrise’ creative account
Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, has been appointed as the creative agency for Qantas 'Project Sunrise' initiative, a 2027 plan to launch ultra-long-haul, non-stop flights from Australia to London and New York using specially configured Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.
Qantas also works on a project-by-project basis with a roster of agencies.
“We are pleased to confirm the appointment of Droga5 to lead the creative development for our Project Sunrise marketing campaign," Qantas chief brand and corporate affairs Danielle Keighery said in a statement to AdNews.
"The Droga5 team brought genuine strategic depth and creative excellence to the process.”
Qantas longer-term partnerships include Howatson+Co for Frequent Flyer creative, OMD for media, and Medium Rare for its in-flight magazine content. The appointment will not affect these relationships.
JCDecaux wins Western Sydney Airport tender
JCDecaux has been awarded the long-term advertising contract for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI).
The out-of-home specialist will deliver digital assets across the internal and external airport precincts under three product pillars: Connected Journeys, Iconic Impact and Immersive Experiences.
JCDecaux has signed for the next decade to manage a fully digitised portfolio of 27 assets across the airport’s terminal precinct as well as roadways connecting passengers to the new airport.
The company is working with the airport to engage launch partners ahead of opening.
IKEA has gone to market with a global Request for Information, with Australia part of the process, AdNews revealed.
The move gives agencies a look in on one of the world's biggest retail media accounts and hints at a possible review to come.
"Ingka Group is conducting a Request for Information as part of a routine assessment of the global media landscape," a spokesperson told AdNews.
The process still sits at the early stage of procurement.
The global media account is with dentsu's iProspect, while Mindshare is the longstanding incumbent in Australia, having won the local remit in 2016, ending a 13-year tenure held by Match Media.
Bureau of Everything wins Domino’s
Domino’s has appointed Bureau of Everything (BoE) to deliver brand strategy, a new brand platform and campaigns across Australia and New Zealand.
Domino's has worked with creative agencies Elevencom and It's Friday.
The appointment marks a new chapter for Domino’s which is undergoing a brand revitalisation from the inside-out, with Bureau charged with relaunching the brand in a way that reflects its ambitious trajectory.
The Domino’s partnership will be led out of Bureau’s Sydney office.
The new campaign will be in market later this year.
Sandbox Media wins Sydney Zoo pitch
Sydney Zoo has appointed northern beaches independent agency Sandbox Media to handle its digital and above-the-line media planning and buying, following a competitive pitch.
Michelle Rowling, head of marketing and sales at Sydney Zoo, said the zoo had confidence in the agency's experience in the attractions and ticketing sector.
Paul Brennan, managing director of Sandbox Media, said the agency had moved quickly to shape a data-led strategy for the Western Sydney attraction.
"Sydney Zoo is a brilliant Australian success story and a true Western Sydney landmark, it's a great win for the agency. The chance to work with a brand delivering genuinely immersive, family-first experiences is right up our alley," Brennan said.
Supercars hands digital sales to Popsta Media
Supercars has appointed Popsta Media as its digital media sales agency, giving exclusive rights to sell YouTube inventory across Australia and New Zealand, plus display and branded content across the Supercars website and app.
The deal also lets advertisers buy Supercars YouTube media direct.
Popsta Media, a music, sport and entertainment consultancy, already represents Universal Music Group and Moonbug Entertainment across the region.
Supercars generated 510 million digital interactions in 2025, up 85% year-on-year, with 363 million total video views across its digital ecosystem, including 24.8 million on YouTube.
This Is Flow wins $16 million Cranky Health pitch
Independent This Is Flow has won the media account for Cranky Health, the company behind The Man Shake, The Lady Shake, The Kids Shake and Famous Nutrition, following a competitive pitch.
The account is valued at $16 million, with media planning and buying already under way across traditional and performance channels.
"Flow stood out with their approach to culture and technology," said Anthony Mortimer, Cranky Health CEO.
"Their experience in the performance space, coupled with the talent within the agency was a clear standout for us."
Bissell appoints agency village for media and creative
Global cleaning technology brand BISSELL has appointed an ANZ agency village, including History Will Be Kind (HWBK) as its retained PR agency, Nunn Media for media strategy and buying, and Hellions for creative.
“We’ve had long-standing relationships with some of our agency partners, but have been intentionally building out our full village with a focus on engaging best-in-class specialists who can collaborate and complement our holistic marketing efforts," said BISSELL senior manager, marketing Oceania, Nathan Dixon.
The group joins a roster of existing partners across the marketing spectrum including Jellyfish, Frontier Australia, Andzen and Digital Next.
The Thoughtful Agency wins Rodd & Gunn
New Zealand menswear brand Rodd & Gunn has appointed The Thoughtful Agency its full-service digital performance partner in Australia, covering both its e-commerce business and The Lodge Group hospitality arm.
The appointment comes as Rodd & Gunn expands in Australia, including a new flagship and hospitality space in Melbourne on Little Bourke Street.
"It's a brand with a distinctive presence and significant potential for online growth locally," said Prav De Silva, CEO and chief growth officer at The Thoughtful Agency.
"Working across both The Lodge Group and the broader omnichannel business allows us to deliver a truly integrated strategy across multiple brand touchpoints.
"To be appointed as Rodd & Gunn’s digital agency in Australia is an exciting milestone for our business.
Sod lands Carman’s Kitchen website build
Melbourne digital agency Sod has been appointed by Carman's Kitchen to design and build a new website for the snack brand, adding to its FMCG portfolio that includes Nuttelex, Connoisseur and Proud & Punch.
The new platform is intended to improve user experience and better reflect Carman's brand story as the Victorian-founded company continues expanding its muesli, bars and breakfast range across Australian supermarkets and internationally.
A Carman's Kitchen spokesperson said the agency's track record won them over.
"We were very impressed with their expertise and experience across FMCG and e-commerce websites, and combined with their collaborative approach to strategy and design, this partnership feels like a great fit," the spokesperson said.
Today the Brave lands OMG Group account
Today the Brave has been appointed full-service agency partner for OMG Group, covering brand strategy, social, paid and organic media, and trade and retail activation.
The brief spans OMG Group's existing portfolio, Blue Dinosaur and OMG Milk, along with two matcha brands, Omura and Matcha Mode, due to launch this year.
Alex Aleksic, CEO/MD of OMG Group, said the appointment was driven by a need to connect brand thinking with execution across retail and media.
"Today the Brave has the strategic and executional capability to do both, which made them the strongest fit for where OMG Group is headed next," Aleksic said.
oOh!media renews Christchurch contract
Outdoor specialist oOh!media has renewed its contract with Christchurch City Council, extending its street furniture presence across the city's metro service bus shelters.
The contract renewal, which starts today, furthers the company's plans to digitise Christchurch's street network, with the number of digital panels expanding to more than 100.
"This contract renewal recognises the strong performance of an established network that is already delivering for advertisers and the city," said Kelly Harvey, head of oOh!media New Zealand.
The Christchurch network comprises more than 400 advertising panels across the city, covering key commuter routes and high-traffic suburban areas.
According to oOh!'s audience measurement tool knOOH, the network reaches more than 518,000 people fortnightly, representing 86% of Cantabrians.
Czech Group wins Interpath’s Epijoint media account
Australian independent media agency Czech Group and London-based brand agency Bray St. and have been appointed agencies of record for Epijoint, the human joint health product developed by Interpath Global.
Bray St. will serve as creative agency of record, with Czech Group leading media strategy, planning and buying across ANZ and global markets.
The partnership is designed to build awareness of Epijoint among people with mild joint pain or osteoarthritis.
Interpath Global is an R&D company best known in Australia for 4CYTE with Epiitalis, the animal joint health supplement, and veterinary brand Sasha's Blend.
Studio LDN wins healthcare briefs
UX, design and strategy agency Studio LDN has been appointed by three healthcare businesses, Medcast, Hola Health and a global medical device company, without a pitch process.
For health professional education provider Medcast, Studio LDN is refreshing the master brand and building the end-to-end customer experience for MedLuma, an AI-powered clinical learning platform.
The remit spans brand strategy, UX and product design, and website development.
"What set Studio LDN apart was not the pitch, but the partnership. From day one, they have been a joy to work with, listening deeply, thinking through solutions with care, and iterating alongside our team at every step," said Susann Clifton-Smith, head of marketing and communications at Medcast.
WPP wins Estée Lauder global media account
WPP has taken Estée Lauder's global media account, consolidating a roster previously split across multiple agencies by region, as first reported by Ad Age.
The account covers brands including Clinique, MAC, La Mer, Jo Malone London, Bobbi Brown and Aveda, with work headquartered from WPP Media's Singapore office.
Locally, OMD had handled offline media planning and buying, while Sparro by Brainlabs handled digital. The pitch was run by consultancy Mediasense.
Publicis takes Microsoft global media account from Dentsu
Publicis Groupe has picked up Microsoft's global media account, ending Dentsu's hold on the business since 2014, as first reported by Ad Age.
The account is worth around US$700 million a year in global media spend per COMvergence, with the value of the portion won by Publicis reported to be higher. The business was won without a formal pitch.
Dentsu retains media for Microsoft-owned Xbox and content production through its Tag Worldwide agency.
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