Credit: BYD
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.
Brand awareness rose from 14% to 35% under Yango's tenure.
Luke Povee, managing partner of Yango, told AdNews the agency was proud of the work done with BYD.
"BYD has achieved a remarkable 156% uplift in sales year-on-year, with brand awareness reaching 43% across the period we have worked together, becoming the leading NEV (new energy vehicle) brand in Australia and the third biggest auto brand in March 2026," he said.
"This is testament to our 'people-focused, results-driven' approach at Yango, the success we have seen together is what happens when human ingenuity meets a challenger brand like BYD.
"It has been a remarkable brand to work on, and we wish BYD continued success in the next phase of its growth.
"We would also like to sincerely thank the Yango team for their passion and dedication to the success of the BYD brand. Everyone should be very proud of that legacy."
The brand has since shifted to a full marketing footing, hiring Kate Hornstein as its inaugural CMO last year as it transitioned from a third-party distributor to a factory-owned operation.
It posted 52,000 Australian sales last year, among a wave of Chinese EV brands, including Geely and Chery, that have rapidly expanded in the market.
WPP Media joins a local roster that includes independent creative agency Taboo and corporate communications agency Acuity.
WPP Media and BYD did not respond to requests for comment.
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