MEERKATS WITHDRAWS FROM IKEA TENDER. HOST JOINS 303 AND MARKETFORCE
UPDATED STORY: With Meerkats withdrawing from the IKEA submission the client has added another agency to take part. In a big surprise Host Sydney have been added to the list to join Marketforce and incumbent 303. Host currently handles the IKEA account in the eastern states. The agency also has BankWest as a client.
Meerkats is not tendering for the IKEA account in WA and SA.
While greatly admiring the blue chip global brand and admitting they would love to one day get their hands on it, Meerkats partner Mike Edmonds said the timing is just not right.
“We had a great chat with IKEA and felt a good connection. But in the light of our appointment to HBF and our cautious – some would say picky – approach to employing new staff, not to mention our impending move to new offices, we cannot with all honesty commit to another major brand right now.”
14 Comments
‘some would say picky’??? I’d say pretentious. But a wise move anyway.
Sigh of relief from 303.
Smart move guys. Well done for building your brand smarter, not faster.
Never underestimate the power of the force.
Pretentious??? Not sure how you would draw that conclusion. Well done to Mike Edmonds for putting his hand up and saying we are not ready to do this account justice at the expense of the service we give to our current clients.
I heart Mike Edmonds. I want to work for you!
It’s just classic Meerkats spin – they know they can’t handle it and wouldn’t get it anyway. I think Ikea would want to be with an award winning, creative agency.
bit of truth there 10.53 but as well as award-winning they want strategic thinking and that ain’t 303’s strong point (ask anyone from the HBF marketing department)
It’s not strategic thinking that’s lets down 303, nor is it creative.
As for Host, will their service be any better? Ask anyone from BankWest.
Leadership comes from the top. Misguided decisions like neglecting Perth clients for Sydney expansion and pitching on Bedshed eventually have consequences.
Having said that a friend at 303 believes they are now back on track. I hope so as some very nice people work there.
Fuck strategy, stop pretending it means anything in Perth.
Meerkats need something to claim as their own because creatively they haven’t exactly set the world on fire.
I think the pressure is well and truly on them to do something creative for HBF to prove they know how to write good ads as well as wordy ‘brand synopses’ (or whatever the fuck they’re called)
hats off to meerkats for being honest and for choosing controlled growth rather than greedy growth.
Anyone remember the classic presentation at the PADCs not so long ago? “We’re not entering any awards because we’re blah blah blah, students, blah, moral high-ground bluster blah, and besides, we won’t win any.”
I wouldn’t want to be one of the current creatives at Meerkats once they realise they’re actually expected to come up with the goods on this account… time to dust off the folio boys and start looking…