GSK joins ‘mediapalooza’ with local $27.5m media account in play and Maxus on alert
The trend of global brands pitching media continues with consumer healthcare giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pitching its $1bn global account including the local $27.5m media account currently held by GroupM agency Maxus, Mumbrella understands.
Comment is being sought locally from GSK but it would be expected that locally Maxus will line up against at least the other agency on the global roster, PHD, in the pitch.
In Australia, PHD today emerged as the winner of $59m FMCG brand Unilever, and it is unclear at this stage whether the Omnicom agency would be able to work with GSK in this market given the two companies have several competing products.
The move by GSK makes it the 12th local account to be impacted by the series of global media pitches, which have variously been dubbed ‘mediapalooza‘ and ‘reviewageddon‘, and which in 2015 has put in excess of $200m in local billings at play.
Tough day for GroupM, Good one for OMG!
With PHD picking up Unilever in Australia, can they handle GSK too?
Thinking conflict issues here, not resourcing (you can always staff up more people)
PHD would obviously say yes, but wondering what the client GSK would think