TBWA\Melbourne confirms win of Defence Force creative account
TBWA\Melbourne has been appointed as the creative and digital agency partner by the Australian Department of Defence.
After incumbent VML conceded defeat on Wednesday, TBWA\Melbourne announced the win.
VML’s AUNZ CEO, Thomas Tearle, released a statement thanking the Department of Defence for the past six years.
“Helping to protect the commonwealth is the honour of a lifetime, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunities our partnership with DFR [Defence Force Recruitment] has afforded us and our team. Working with the Navy, Army, and Air Force, we have learned and experienced so much and have forged enduring professional and personal relationships that will continue long into the future,” he said.
Per government requirements, the Defence Force Recruitment creative and digital account was taken to pitch and applications to take part in the review were opened in February this year.
VML held the account since 2019 after its last review, and it was serviced by Host/Havas prior to that from 2014-2018. Havas’ original three-year contract was extended by one more year in 2017 following a pitch. George Patterson Y&R Melbourne, which now falls under the VML brand, previously held the account for 13 years.
TBWA\Melbourne will spearhead all creative communications and digital services output, partnering with Omnicom stablemate Credera – a marketing transformation and tech specialist – to integrate advanced data and technology solutions. It will sit alongside CultureVerse in the agency village, with the two agencies tasked with collaborating on methodologies that will help connect with, and influence, multicultural audiences.
“This appointment allows us to bring the best of our offering to the table, for the best of all reasons; driving recruitment for the Australian Defence Force,” said Kimberlee Wells, CEO at TBWA\Melbourne.
“We’re excited to harness our deep strategic and creative capability, cutting edge innovation and cultural intelligence tools, to deliver meaningful impact across the total brand experience. We can’t wait to get started.”
The key focus will be to recruit people to the Australian Defence Force’s arms – the Navy, Army, and Air Force – in order to build, sustain, and maximise the Defence Capability, as per the tender notice.
CCO at the agency, Paul Reardon, added: “Our team and our agency partners hold the Australian Defence Force in the highest possible regard – we always have.
“Being asked to use our creative skills in service of Australia and our nation’s strategic capability is nothing short of an honour. It’s humbling, and it’s hard to explain just how much this opportunity means to us all. We look forward to reaching new heights for recruitment and working with the incredible Australians within the ADF.”
The transition period from VML is effective immediately, with the contract officially starting on April 1, 2025.
Keep up to date with the latest in media and marketing
Got a tip?
Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
Linkedin
topics
ADF
creative
creative pitch
Defence Force Recruiting
Defence Force Recruitment
Department of Defence
TBWA
TBWA\Melbourne
VML
Have your say