ASB issues tender for range of creative services
ASB is seeking expressions of interest from brand, marketing and digital agencies, with a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for a range of creative services kicking off today.
The bank’s contract with its current lead agency Dentsu Creative (WiTH Collective) will come to an end in June this year.
ASB executive general manager digital, data and brand Simon Tong says strong agency support and expertise will be key as the bank evolves to meet changing customer needs and expectations: “We want to continue to accelerate the development of personalised experiences for our customers and working closely with the successful agency, or agencies, to bring technology, data and creativity together will be critical to us delivering on this.
“It’s also important to us that we build on our brand platform that we have created with Ben and Amy who are core to our current three-year brand strategy. We look forward to working with our agency partners to continue to tell their story.”
The bank is looking for an agency group or a small number of specialist agencies which can work collaboratively alongside existing media and search agency partners to deliver the following services:
Brand & Marcomms – Strategy, creative, brand guidelines, internal engagement
Direct Marketing – Prospecting, DM strategy and implementation
Community & Sponsorship – Strategy, creative, experiential planning and design
Digital – Channel and web strategy including design, content, UX and personalisation
Digital Innovation – Strategy, ideation and delivery
Social Media for brand and marketing campaigns
Media and search are not included in the RFP.
Incumbent agency Dentsu Creative (WiTH Collective) has been invited to participate in the pitch. WiTH Collective has worked with ASB since 2017 and has supported the bank to set its current brand strategy and introduce its popular Ben and Amy characters to customers.
Expressions of interest should be directed to Danielle Meyer (Danielle.Meyer@asb.co.nz) no later than 12.00pm, Friday 23 April 2021.
The new agency contract(s) will be effective from 1 September 2021.
30 Comments
That is a fucking slap in the face to everyone at WITH who have finally landed ASB a platform and done some epic work on. The 10 years before that they simply moved from agency to agency whenever hard times hit or people changed thinking it would solve issues. I get that WITH have had some people leave.
No wonder so many in our industry hated the yellow bank.
Me thinks you may be suffering delusions of self grandeur.
I for one don’t hate the yellow bank. Banks are all pretty much on a par…
A couple of characters isn’t a brand platform. It’s just some ads.
ASB. This is why the industry HATES that bank.
Reminds me of when they did S&S dirty after delivering them Grand Axis and go.
Shows substance over style so important, especially to an overly complicated client and industry like ASb and Banking.
Who just lost Kiwibank ? They could be in the market.
DDB to kick Westpac to touch?
Me again. In talking to people today it sounds like Dentsus new model caused this and key people leaving as a result and nothing to do with the work, which I can now understand.
Still fucked up how they finally land some good work and want to blow it all up.
Would ASB PR this on campaign brief?
Great question. Only shames the exisiting agency.
I have never seen another pitch declared via a Press Release before.
How many agencies had ASB burnt since the demise of Goldstein?
If Mr/Mrs/They Wow says is true, then all the agency has to do is correct a few things and it’s business as usual.
Any other theories then you can talk to me at Prego, table 11 this Friday afternoon/early evening.
Wow. I thought WITH had done a really amazing job over the last two years. I can’t remember any of ASBs work from before.
It shows that it’s not really about the work but about the egos.
If you only retain the account for less than 2 years? That seems to be the average stint with them
I’ve worked on the yellow bank before and I feel they have an unrealistic expectation of everything to be perfect at all times. They seem to take everything overly personal.
I’ve worked on the red bank also and the same level of expectation was there but much more of a true relationship, forgiving and improving together.
At least they have a contract with a retainer. It’s coming to an end and they’re reviewing arrangements. Seems perfectly reasonable in these times. No?
This is classic ASB. Anyone who has worked on the yellow bank will recognise this pattern. Nothing to do with the agency, everything to do with the client.
At least they are consistent
Well people just get a life stop moaning.
Business time just …. got real pitching time right
Dentsu / with have done an outstanding job, transforming ASBs presence in market. Seems fucking stupid to be changing somethings that’s appears to be working well. No other banks advertising is anywhere close to what ASB ave in market. So much for rewarding outstanding work. Not a client I would want to work for if this is the standard.
When you have a solid/great brand platform and you can execute easily and consistently with the incumbent? Because key people are leaving and they have a new operating model? #whyourindustryisscrewed
Says no
When prepping for my lunch today I had a wonderful idea to solve this dilemma.
In fact, it’s an old idea.
A smart agency should offer a gob-smackingly huge offer to the lead WITH creatives working on ASB to lure them over.
It’s a brilliant idea. It’s like an idea I’ve seen work before. Wondered why it sounded familiar.
In any case, I’ve altered my lunch plans today. Rain is in the horizon so I’ve relocated to Soul. I might have a dozen oysters. Maybe two dozen. I’ll be there if anyone wants to discuss this quite unfair pitch. Table 4, under cover in the smoking section.
There is a lot more to running a bank client than delivering just on the big brand TV work. In fact from my experience that would be 20% of the account vs all the detailed nitty gritty of branch comms, direct and digital.
Anyone – lets gossip about who will be up for this pitch? My list:
S&S
Stanley St
Shine
Y&R
FCB
Aim Prox
Colenso BBDO – shifts BNZ to Clemenger BBDO
Will be a tough brief to work on given ASB are clear they want to continue to use Ben and Amy. Will be like sleeping in someone else’s bed
How good are those Kiwisaver ads though. Great example of taking something dry and boring and making it at least a little bit interesting.
Get your ducks in a row. Solid advice from Uncle Kev but pretty lame from a financial institution.
I went to Soul Bar, no sign of anyone at Table 4.
Went to Prego and still no sign of any ghost.
The problem with the yellow bank is nothing to do with their brand and advertising and a heap to do with a lack of leadership and strategic direction at the bank generally. Rather than fix the issues around a lack of innovation around products or any real effort to set themselves apart from the other big banks (especially if that might cause them to spend some money), they choose to think tactical changes at a brand and marketing level will be the answer to their more fundamental issues. Whether that’s ineptitude or inexperience from their leadership team – it’s certainly a case of buyer beware for any incoming agency.
You have to be kidding right ? What bank in NZ has any innovation that sets them apart ? Literally everyone offers the same product or thinks the debility to lock your lost eftpos card on your phone is innovation that matters.
With all those agencies involved in strategy why do they need a marketing department?
are a leader among banks. And many of the comments on here are ill informed. ASB has every right to conduct a review given current status quo. ‘Nuff said. Be professional.
A week on and still no resolution to this most joyous of event.
No, I’m not talking about resolving the ASB pitch (easy… get an office in Chancery, put key people in there and call it WITH Chancery!), I’m talking about is how I intended to lunch at Soul last Friday only to be called to an impromptu luncheon at Northern Club with some old sailing colleagues.
The food was as good, but the Halloumi was exceptional, especially with the large bowl of steak fries washed down with a glorious bottle or two of Malbec.
This Friday I’m off to Mr Morris with a couple of renowned PR owners. Undoubtedly ASB will come up. I’ll press them for details and juicy gossip. Stay tuned…
BTW: I’m picking WITH retaining the account.
You heard it here first.
Exciting times.