Vodafone parts ways with WPP AUNZ’s Bohemia to WPP agency GroupM part of global alignment

Vodafone has today announced its media planning and buying business will move from WPP AUNZ’s Bohemia to fellow WPP media agency GroupM to align with global ‘Team Red’ arrangements.

WPP’s Team Red is a bespoke unit of WPP GroupM Media developed specifically to service one of the world’s leading telco brand and currently works with Vodafone in every market globally except Australia.

The realignment will begin in coming weeks and will be completed by 31 October 2016.  WPP AUNZ’s Bohemia has worked with Vodafone successfully for the past four years and its contract was due to end this year.

Bohemia’s Brett Dawson said while the agency was disappointed with the decision to align with global arrangements, it was very pleased with the work it had undertaken to support the turnaround of the Vodafone Australia brand.

Says Dawson: “We are very proud of Bohemia’s significant contribution to driving re-appraisal of the Vodafone brand in Australia. We have partnered with Vodafone for more than four years, through the company’s turnaround. We have thrived on this challenge and our work has delivered demonstrable results, achieving both local and global recognition. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Bohemia team for its passion and dedication, the Vodafone team for its trust, and the numerous media partners who have helped us output this work along the way.”

Vodafone chief marketing officer Loo Fun Chee thanked Bohemia for its work over the past four years.

Says Chee: “Bohemia has been an instrumental partner in helping us tell our turnaround story. We thank it for its work during that time, including our brand relaunch and most recently Vodafone’s network demonstration partnerships with Nova, Channel 7 and Prime.”

Chee said the company wished to align the account with global arrangements to support its brand transformation.

Says Chee: “We saw an opportunity to leverage WPP GroupM Media’s solid understanding of our global business as we enter this exciting new period of growth. We look forward to working with fellow WPP GroupM agency in the future.”

Group M CEO AUNZ Mark Lollback said GroupM’s Team Red already has significant experience overseas with Vodafone and the team is looking forward to extending this knowledge to the Australian market.

Says Lollback: “Bohemia has established a solid platform for growth and is pleased that the account remains within the broader WPP AUNZ group.”

Says James Hier, CEO, MEC Australia: “Vodafone Australia has gone through a significant period of transformation in the Australian market and is now in a much stronger position to challenge its competitors on network, customer service and innovative products. While the telco category is incredibly competitive and challenging, MEC is ready to take Vodafone Australia to greater heights through engaging campaigns across all media channels.”

The appointment follows a strong 12 months for MEC Australia, including the continued expansion of its Brisbane office with the integration of local media agency Media Circus into its business last month.

GroupM and Bohemia are part of WPP AUNZ, Australasia’s leading marketing content and communications group.