Credit: Gurdaas Malik via Unsplash
AdNews wraps up the biggest pitch news and wins from the fortnight.
WPP Media takes BYD Australia account
WPP Media has picked up the Australian media planning and buying account for Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD following a competitive pitch.
The win displaces independent agency Yango, which had held the media account since 2024.
AdNews understands the account moved at the start of April.
BYD built its early Australian presence on minimal paid advertising, relying largely on earned and owned media to sell its first 15,000 vehicles locally.
The brand sought from the outset to sidestep traditional advertising models, expanding from a single model to a full range that required increasingly sophisticated audience segmentation.
Transport for NSW opens tender for 96 roadside billboards
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is seeking an out-of-home operator to run and manage 96 roadside advertising assets across metro and regional NSW, in a deal that places heavy emphasis on converting static billboards into digital screens, AdNews can reveal.
The portfolio includes 62 static billboards and 34 digital sites.
TfNSW is offering the successful supplier the chance to upgrade static panels into digital formats over the life of the contract, with longer operating terms attached to converted assets.
The Request for Proposal outlines a model focused on revenue growth, infrastructure investment and ongoing redevelopment of roadside advertising assets.
Zenith wins Industry Super Australia media account
Zenith Media has been appointed media agency for Industry Super Australia, starting July 1, replacing Initiative Media after a 14-year tenure.
The appointment follows a competitive tender.
Alana Burnside, chief executive of Industry Super Australia, said Zenith had shown it understood the sector.
"Zenith demonstrated that they understood the challenges and opportunities in the sector, and also how they could apply their skill and insights as an extension of our team," Burnside said.
On the outgoing agency, Burnside acknowledged Initiative's long run.
Brisbane City Council flags media account review
Brisbane City Council (BCC) has signalled its master media advertising account will go to tender in July, AdNews revealed.
The council has released a Request for Proposal to market which requires agencies to register on BCC's SAP Ariba portal ahead of July 31 to be eligible to participate in the pitch process, a BCC spokesperson confirmed.
Zenith, part of Publicis Groupe, has held the BCC account since at least 2018.
The Publicis-owned agency also handles media strategy, planning and buying for the City of Melbourne, which it won in 2019, making it the incumbent on two of Australia's largest city council media accounts.
S&J Media retains Queensland Rail OOH contract
S&J Media has secured an exclusive five-year contract to manage interior train advertising across South East Queensland's rail network, with an option extending the deal to eight years, retaining a contract it has held since 2012, AdNews revealed.
A Queensland Rail spokesperson told AdNews the contract was awarded to S&J Media in March, with the incumbent defending the business through a competitive pitch process.
As reported in February, the contract covers commercial out-of-home advertising across rollingstock on the SEQ network, including trains owned by Queensland Rail and the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
While advertising appears across both fleets, the formal contract sits solely with Queensland Rail under an existing arrangement covering DTMR-owned rollingstock.
National Museum of Australia’s media account goes to pitch
The National Museum of Australia is taking its media account to pitch, with $750,000 in annual spend up for grabs as it moves away from a fragmented buying model, AdNews revealed.
The Canberra institution has issued a formal Approach to Market, closing May 5, with a contract start date of July 1.
The museum expects to shortlist agencies from mid-to-late May for additional discussions, with meetings able to be conducted online, leaving a tight runway to the July 1 start.
The shift follows a split model, where an incumbent agency handles paid digital while the internal marketing team buys TV, radio, print, out-of-home and cinema directly from media owners.
The museum said the model limits buying power, restricts optimisation and leads to stop-start campaign activity tied to exhibitions.
We Are Social wins Airbnb pitch
Socially-led creative agency We Are Social has been appointed by Airbnb Australia to lead its influencer and social media program, following a competitive pitch process.
The appointment will see We Are Social partner with Airbnb to drive a year-round, creator-led program designed to build cultural relevance, deepen engagement, and embed Airbnb into the moments, behaviours, and conversations that shape how Australians travel.
The appointment follows Ogilvy PR winning its consumer and corporate account in Australia.
“Airbnb is one of the most culturally influential travel brands in the world, and we’re excited to partner with the team to bring that to life through creators in ways that feel native, meaningful and impactful," said We Are Social APAC CEO, Suzie Shaw.
GMS Media wins ZEEKR Australia digital account
GMS Media Group has been appointed to lead the digital performance media account for ZEEKR Australia, the luxury electric vehicle brand under Geely Automobile Holdings, alongside Optimise Media.
GMS will handle paid search, paid social and digital video for the brand, with a focus on lead generation, test-drive bookings and brand awareness.
ZEEKR's ZEEKR X and 7X models posted year-on-year sales growth in Australia. GMS was selected on the strength of its "Amplify Method," a proprietary performance framework aimed at converting audiences into leads.
GMS CEO Blake Micola and COO Simon Train said the Australian auto market was being reshaped by the arrival of EV-only brands.
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