Tourism to travel east?
Speculation that the Tourism WA account may leave the state has been given further weight with incumbent Marketforce’s decision not to participate in the tender process, for which Stage One – ‘Expression of Interest’ – closed yesterday.
The industry has been buzzing about the likelihood of an eastern states agency being appointed ever since the Request document was released earlier this month.
The tender is a two-stage process. The most heavily weighted criteria for Stage One – “Demonstrated experience in successfully launching a big brand idea that has been executed through an integrated campaign approach” – requires respondents to submit three case studies of campaigns they have run that show significant national/international campaign experience.
Marketforce chairman, John Driscoll, said that made it difficult for local agencies.
“The way that the weighting of the case study part was worded implies that they were looking for case studies from major national or international clients and we believe that would disadvantage a Western Australian agency.”
The account is valued by Tourism WA at $4.4m over 5 years excluding media but including all production costs and agency fees. A number of non-WA agencies have shown interest in the business. Former Gatecrasher account manager Doni Savvides, now at Sydney-based BMF, was at the briefing session held on April 17 and at least three other eastern states agencies participated by phone hook-up.
Last Thursday (April 23) Tourism WA sought to clarify its position by sending out an Addendum to the main Request document. The Addendum said in part: “Tourism WA is looking for an agency with the ability to develop and run campaigns (both above-the-line & digital) without regard for the agency’s physical location. Tourism WA believes there are several agencies based in Perth, as well as in the Eastern States, who meet these criteria.”
In Stage Two, a shortlist of up to four agencies will be invited to do a creative pitch, the requirement for which has raised several eyebrows.
It includes producing creative concepts for Tourism WA’s new brand strategy AND developing the 2009/2010 interstate and intrastate campaign, covering “…strategy, creative concepts, channel planning, estimated costs, timings and key personnel.” The campaign has to be ready to run by mid-August.
Driscoll said the requirement was “extensive”.
“They were looking for twelve months worth of work which we believe is excessive. We don’t agree with creative pitches in principle but if creative is going to be used to evaluate an agency’s abilities we don’t believe they need to ask for that much work. There’s also no suggestion that, if you are the successful agency, the creative you’ve worked on for the pitch can be charged for.”
Unsuccessful agencies in Stage Two will receive $7000 towards the cost of pitching but several people Campaign Brief has spoken to have suggested Tourism WA is using the creative pitch process to get a new campaign without having to pay significant development costs.
Agencies shortlisted for Stage Two will be briefed on May 8 and pitch by May 29.
43 Comments
Good on you John. To take a stand like that in the current climate takes a big set of principles and an even bigger set of balls.
That’s stupid. There is no way that Tourism could appoint an agency outside of WA. They would be crucified in the media. It’s something that would make the front page of The West. I can see the headline now.
“WA TOURISM ADMITS SYDNEY IS BETTER THAN PERTH”
It kinda makes sense Eastern States people telling Eastern States people about what makes WA a great holiday destination? After all it is advertising – so maybe what we as West Aussies perceive as being great they think is poo.
You know the whole, we went over when we hadn’t before and this is what people like us will think is great – rather then the converted telling people what they should like?
For example – there are really tall trees everywhere – Tazzie kicks arse over the South West and although beautiful, the North West is hot, sandy with shit loads of flies and a pain in the arse to get too. Darwin is heaps easier to get to and you pretty much see the same shit.
From a West Aussie point of view why would I pay 2 grand to go to Broome when the cost to London is $1500 at the moment? I think Bali is cheaper then a South West holiday.
Maybe the Government should look at making perth a better place to live before spending millions on selling it – you know socially sustainable, cafe’s, nightlife, a place you can eat and see water without paying $9000, going out in the city without being stabbed and too conclude a yes vote on daylight savings.
This pitch is being Taylor made for 303.
Appointing an east-coast agency.
Wouldn’t that be a great stimulus package from this forward thinking state government?
11.47 The West likes shorter, sharper headlines. How about “WA FLIES EAST FOR EXCITEMENT”
12.41
How about “WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU GOING?”
Very Funny.
So far 12.54 gets the job as The West’s sub-editor.
10.48
Blah Blah…I think MF bailed out on the fact they were unlikely to retain the account
Simple business decision, and nothing to do with the size of anyone’s wedding tackle, or is there something you should be telling us!
If it goes east can we expect large tourism accounts come the other way after all, if that principal is applied should we in the west be advertising East Coast Tourism…emmm thought not.
This state government is a s weak as the stuff cats do a lot of.
Love to see it stay here though.
11.59 – Meow! Have you filed your nails recently.
Driscoll’s comments smack of a sore loser who doesn’t believe he can win a creative pitch.
I think that The MF team has done a great job…but better to jump…!
What is wrong with seeking the best idea for your business locally or elsewhere?
Surely it is about the quality of the response.
If that is delivered by a Perth shop brilliant.
If another agency outside of Perth has a better solution, hire them.
Geography shouldn’t be the issue.
WA Tourism, I would imagine, want to attract visitors from outside the state.
So why not look outside your backyard for inspiration too?
Bankwest did.
Look, if an eastern states or international based brand sought ideas from WA agencies, would that be seen as dumb or wrong?
Would we turn away the opportunity to pitch?
Of course not.
Yeah, BankWest did and just look at the result. [Vomits in mouth]
Ahh the sad old Perth parichialism rearing it’s ugly head! Surely if WA’s agencies don’t win this tender it is because they aren’t good enough………..and surely the most creative and innovative agency will provide Tourism WA with greater opportunity to attract visitors to this state. I am sure that is what Tourism WA is responsible for. Not cowtowing to some 2 bit agency whose boss has lost his cahunas!!!
7.54 Yes idealistically, but can you name the eastern states companies that have come to WA?
Hey “the captain”……..Bankwests campaign has been very successful for that brand. Don’t let your personal feelings get in the way of the truth.
In a perfect world you are absolutely right 7.54.
I agree clients should be able to source their advertising anywhere. Bankwest did and good on them as there is no doubt it is better than previous work (but, everyone outside of the Brand knows that the bar there wasn’t very high).
As one of the senior clients at Tourism WA was involved in the move of Bankwest from TBA to Host in Sydney she has obviously seen some benefits and probably already has a good relationship with that agency. Fair enough.
But Tourism WA is not a normal account. Aside from the issue of budget – $850,000 a year over 5 years for all production and fees is not much to a top agency over east – politics will play a big part.
When Marketforce used a Sydney or Auckland (can’t remember) production company on a road safety campaign a couple of years back questions were asked in state parliament. It all went away eventually, but appointing an eastern states agency to promote our state is a different issue completely. This would be a brave decision from the government to rubber stamp. And brave decisions have been not the hallmark of this government, especially when they can’t argue that there is no agency in Perth capable of handling the job.
The client may want to appoint Host but my tip is 303.
“The West Australian-based BankWest revealed yesterday it had booked one of the worst performances in recent banking history with a $139 million loss in the full-year of 2008.”
Beachliving, Harvey Normans ads have also been very successful for their company. They are still shit ads. Just remember, good ads and effectiveness are not mutually exclusive. Let’s hope Tourism’s ads are good and work for our tourism industry, one of the state’s largest employers (not to mention the jobs of the employees of WA’s advertising industry that will lose jobs if the account goes east)
Hey Beachliving,
While at the beach would you drop your boardies, bend over and let someone shove your board up you proverbial? That’s what Tourism are asking agencies to do in this pitch. Then, if they like the look of the board up there and think the image of that will last a couple of years, then they’ll let you walk up the beach with them, not pay for the extraction or the stitches but drop 20c every 2k’s for you to pick up. Oh, and they also own the image of the poor beggars that lost the board game.
Now, do you seriously think that that is fair?
Sal
Tourism should be able to appoint any agency they think will do the best job.
Perth shops can compete with the best of the East.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if one of our mid-sized agencies got the job? How hard would a Meerkats, Gatecrasher, Rare work on it if they were lucky enough to pick it up. All three could handle it.
Beachliving
Meanwhile back in the real world…
“BankWest yesterday said its charge for impaired loans had risen to $825 million for the year to December 31, 2008, which caused the West Australian-based institution to record an overall loss of $139 million.”
Are we ethically opposed to servicing Eastern States/National business in WA? So what the fuck are we winging about? It’s business folks, and if we can’t do what an Eastern States agency can do, we deserve to lose the account. But we can compete with the Eastern states, often do, and more often than not, win. So buck the fuck up WA, no one owes us a living. Lets smash the shit out of this pitch and earn the Tourism account.
I’m high-five-ing myself right now.
Hey Sal!
Just on my way over to the surf now, thanks for reminding me how to carry my board! Enjoy your office view and make sure you book enough hours between now and 5 o’clock!
Anonymous 10.26am
Real world, what does brand advertising have to do with impaired loans? Quite a leap there………..
Tourism WA – What is it with these people that they don’t know shit from clay.
The decision surely is based on past creative, staffing capacity, ability to deliver and price.
A first meet for sure to get the warm fuzzy thing done.
Try asking to drive a Ferrari for the weekend based on the fact that you might buy it after you test driven the Lambo and the Merc.
Surely these people get paid to make decisions like yes these people are qualified to do this and the price is right. Hey its not that hard.
Don’t you always get the feeling that they always need to be bottle fed and have their hand held.
Top people make top decisions so cut the creative pitch crap and get on with it. Please no responses based on “you don’t have to do it”. They know and you know that with a piece of business like this they will always get somebody to bend over and take it like a man or woman and they probably aren’t fussy.
10.17 Are you using a long board?
I find a good waxing helps!
10.21 Subtle – which one do you work for?
12.36 I actually work for one of the agencies that didn’t submit. Out of our league (apparently!) but I would hate to lose this account to the East.
It’s going east guys. 303 won’t even submit for Tourism.
They have a huge conflict in Travelcorp and that is worth far more to them than a tilt at this.
Queensland Tourism went east and got internationally-recognised award-winning work in return. But, of course, they are an eastern state anyway and that work was done by Cummins-Nitro Brisbane – conclusive proof that sticking with a local agency who know the key selling points of their own state is the way forward for the future. I would imagine every Tourist body is looking for something similar right now.
12.36 Um…I have no come back for that one. You win. Thanks for brightening my day.
Sal
4.4 Million over 5 years and that includes agency fees and production costs? Now, could anyone enlighten me as to why any of us eastern states agencies, with three case studies of international campaigns they’ve worked on, would even consider going for that. I know it’s the GFC and all but let’s be realistic here people. A film crew traveling all over WA, talent, online team, stills photographers, music score and post production for $880,000.
The world’s greatest job was a brilliant one off stunt. It got loads of hits and loads of applications but who gives a shit now? How many people will be bothered visiting the winners blog and what will it do for the rest of Queensland over the long term?
7.07.
It’s the sort of thing that wins pitches
I’m guessing that politics will play a big part here. The senior clients may want the account to go over east, but the deal has to be rubber stamped by the minister and anything that sends jobs out of the state at this time will be a bit of a no-no. Just wait til The West get hold of the story.
6.23pm
They have. But it’s all a bit toothless.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=139639
6.23
Jesus, you make out that people actually take the West editorial seriously, and that it could make some kind of difference to opinions. Wake up!
So much anger…
I think every agency should back themselves and go for it. Eastern states agencies might have some advantages, but it’s pretty plain to see that they also have some disadvantages in this case.
3.32 Don’t confuse anger with passion!
3:17
While you may be smarter than the average bear, in my experience people often use the The West as a place to get a) their topic of the day and/or b) their opinion about said topic.
Just listen to the chatter in the lunch bar or near the photocopier…
3.17 The topic of the day is just before the 64 pages of football!