In the biggest account move in Australia this year, Unilever is moving its $59 million local media account from Mindshare to PHD. While Mindshare has held the account in Australia since 2011, a global pitch for the company was announced in January.
The win joins several successful major pitches for PHD in recent years, including ones for Bayer, SAP, Priceline and Cancer Council. The agency’s biggest client is ANZ Bank.
“Every now and again you win a piece of business that redefines the agency. We know that we're not amongst the big boys yet and always wanted to secure a big win to take that next level – and now we've done it,” PHD CEO Mark Coad tells AdNews.
A Unilever spokesperson adds: "Unilever Australia has completed the review of its media planning and buying agency services as part of the company’s global policy to periodically evaluate media arrangements.
“The review included the current incumbent Mindshare along with PHD and Initiative Media. Unilever is pleased to announce PHD has been appointed as the media agency for Unilever Australia and New Zealand."
Unilever brands include , , Omo and Continental. Mindshare has control of the Unilever media account in other countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Pakistan Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The move is one of many global media pitches in 2015, including Johnson & Johnson, Coty, 21st Century Fox, and Sony.
Image: Instagram.com/UnileverUSA
