SYDNEY: Host has won the $55 million creative account for Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA).
The win follows a competitive pitch with Host shortlisted alongside George Patterson Y&R and Happy Soldiers.
In early January, Host dropped the bombshell that it was withdrawing from its pitch as incumbents for the Virgin Mobile creative account.
The appointment follows a drawn out process after the 50:50 joint venture between Vodafone and 3 in January 2009 which was announced as Vodafone was pitching media and 3 was in a creative review.
After the merger was finalised in June 2009, VHA announced it would review both media and creative relationships across both brands and later that month awarded CumminsNitro - now SapientNitro - creative duties for 3. This was reviewed again in October with Moon Communications awarded creative from CumminsNitro.
Then in October 2009, one-year incumbent Clemenger was reappointed to Vodafone after a successful pitch against CumminsNitro. However VHA then launched yet another creative review of the arrangements shared between Clemenger and Moon communications, which resulted in Clemenger resigning from the account in November. VHA then opened negotiations with a number of agencies from which three were shortlisted in January 2010.
Combined VHA media duties were announced in August with Vodafone incumbent Ikon awarded the consolidated account, with 3 previously looked after by Mitchell Communications Group.
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