Droga5 snares giant Woolworth’s ad account after two-way shootout with Ogilvy & Mather, Sydney

In a surprise decision, Droga5 has snared the giant Woolworths business in a two-way shootout with Ogilvy Sydney.

The incumbent, M&C Saatchi Sydney, has held the account for ten years – since winning it from Leo Burnett Sydney – the latter creator of the long-running ‘Fresh Food People’ campaign which this year celebrated its 25th anniversay.

Droga5 will commence work in the coming weeks following a transition period. Its first brand campaign will launch sometime in the fourth quarter of this financial year.

The win for Droga5 comes just over a week after the loss of its share of the CUB business – VB, Crown Lager and Cascade – to Clemenger BBDO Melbourne.

CB hears the remuneration to D5 from Woolies will well and truly replace the loss three-fold – resulting in more staff employed rather than the retrenchments expected a week ago.

Says Droga5 Australia creative chairman, David Nobay (pictured above left with Droga5’s David Droga): “As a brand, Woolworths touches close to 20 million consumers every single week, and employs over 111,000 Australians.  In that sense, it is a channel all of its own, and moves the conversation for an entire country. Being chosen to tell great stories around a brand that already shapes so much behaviour in this country is a genuine privilege.”

Says Woolworths General Manager of Marketing, Lizzy Ryley: “Droga5 is a highly innovative agency with a great reputation for strong creative ideas and strategic planning skills.  The team demonstrated a very thorough understanding of our brand and its unique position in the hearts and minds of Australian shoppers and we are confident of building a successful partnership.”

M&C Saatchi Sydney will continue to work for the Woolworths Limited group as creative agency for Masters Home Improvement. Says Ryley: “We sincerely thank the M&C team for a decade of service and wish them the very best for the future.”

Says Tjeerd Jegen, Director of Woolworths supermarkets: “The appointment of Droga5 may not have been the obvious choice but we have realised through this process that “the obvious” is the last place Woolworths wants to be. It was very important to me that we found a creative agency that demonstrated the right mix of creativity, innovation and who were a good cultural fit.”