Digitas Retains McDonald's Australia's CRM Account
Publicis agency Digitas has retained McDonald's Australia's CRM business, the brand has confirmed, following a competitive pitch process which also featured Accenture Song.
Yesterday, LBB revealed a portion of the brand's creative account - McCafé and Chicken - is up for pitch. In a statement to LBB, McDonald's confirmed the creative pitch was "part of our ongoing commitment to ensure we have the best partners and capabilities in place and follows on from our recently completed CRM pitch process earlier in the year."
The CRM pitch was launched to align the business, focused on customer relationship strategy, insights, measurement, and execution.
Digitas and Balance CEO Davy Rennie said the agency "could not be prouder to retain such a sensational partner and look to the next generation of CRM that knows and grows fans."
"We can’t wait to show you all what’s next," he wrote on LinkedIn.
Rennie started at Publicis earlier this year, after a stint leading DDB's digital arm, Tribal. McDonald's has worked with DDB since it entered the Australian market 53 years ago. LBB understands DDB will remain the brand's Australian agency of record despite the active creative pitch.
McDonald's will look to its existing global roster to choose an additional creative agency partner for the market by the end of the year. Globally, the McDonald's creative agency line-up includes Leo Burnett in the UK, Wieden & Kennedy and Droga5 in the US, TBWA in Europe and Asia, and DDB in New Zealand.
Akcelo also works on the business' retail and activation work in Australia. All up, the local business is worth roughly $15 million, LBB understands, including creative, retail, and PR.
