FCA Australia re-appoints Cummins&Partners to Jeep and Fiat; adds Alfa Romeo to their remit
FCA Australia has appointed Cummins&Partners as their strategic and creative partner after an extensive competitive pitch, extending an almost decade-long partnership. The agency has retained the Jeep and Fiat brands whilst adding the Alfa Romeo brand to their remit.
The re-appointment comes at a transformative stage across FCA Australia’s brand portfolio as they relaunch, focusing on rebuilding consumer trust and changing the way they do business across Australia.
Says FCA Australia Director of Marketing Communications, Tom Noble: “There were really solid and strong responses from all of the agencies involved in the pitch process, but Cummins&Partners’ strategy, creative thinking and long term relationship with FCA ultimately won the day.
There’s a great opportunity for Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Fiat in Australia. Jeep is iconic and we know we need to rebuild trust in this brand. Alfa Romeo and Fiat are over 100 years old each; they are part of the fabric of the automotive industry.
Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Fiat are iconic brands with bold personalities and we look forward to building creative campaigns that resonate with Australians and drive real results for our business.”
Says Chris Jeffares, Cummins&Partners CEO: “Jeep was a foundation client for us almost 10 years ago and we are proud of the distinctive and effective creative work we did. We look forward to working with them again to help rebuild consumer trust in Jeep and create more awareness around Alfa Romeo and Fiat in Australia.”
22 Comments
What a crock. C&P didn’t deserve to go through that awful process only to reappointed after being forced to give away their thinking and IP. Clients need to take a good hard look at themselves asking agencies to pitch for free on live briefs.
A masterclass in how not to treat agencies.
Were any other agencies involved in the pitch?
Most embarrassing pitch process I’ve been involved in. Very glad not to have won.
Another example of clients and procurement abusing the power of the pitch and agencies desperate enough to allow them to do so. Disgusting and unprofessional behavior.
Well done Cummins. It’s a shame you had to go through a pitch process, but hats off to retaining. It an easy feat.
Of course no other agency will admit pitching now, but Thinkerbell did..and Ogilvy, Ways and Means and many others.
We are one of the agencies you list and we pulled out early as the pitch was a shambles. I assume many of the other agencies did too.
@curious…i think the client pretty much said that other agemcies responded strongly and solidly..stop being silly!
Other agencies? At some point there were 12. How on earth could they find 12 agencies to present credentials is beyond anyone’s comprehension. Then, they kindly ‘shortlisted’ 6 for initial presentations of which they chose 4 for final submissions. Then their CMO who was running the process departed and kept everyone in limbo for 4 months, only to reappoint the incumbent. Millions of dollars of agencies’ time wasted on yet another tyre kicking Melbourne pitch ran by procurement, who no doubt will be squeezing the ‘new’ agency within an inch of their lives. But I guess, as an industry, we brought this upon ourselves.
“Jeep is iconic and we know we need to rebuild trust in this brand.”
Wow, there’s an understatement for you.
Their level of reliability and in particular after-sales treatment of customers made even Holden, VW and Merc look good.
And that’s quite an achievement.
The truth is that no agency is compelled to pitch.
You don’t have to.
If you decide that the cost to the agency is too great, then don’t do it.
If you think a pitch is taking too long and that you don’t like it, pull out.
If you think that your current client commitments are already stretching your team and that a pitch will tip them over the edge, then don’t do it.
If you don’t like dealing with procurement, then don’t do it.
If you don’t like the approach the client takes, then don’t do it.
But if you want to win business, retain business and grow, then maybe you should do it.
And if you win, celebrate it.
And if you lose, find out why, learn from it, sharpen up your pitch act.
Be selective on what you pitch for.
No client ‘owes’ you business.
The world has changed, change with it or do something else.
Short short sentences. Preachy. Failure to see their own hubris. Wonder who you could be.
Who…Who could it be?
Who could it be? Who knows? I have my suspicions, but definitely part of the problem with this industry. And someone who should heed their own advice and ‘change and go do something else’.
Oh man, I am so glad I do not work with you, because holy christ do you just sound like the most almighty Richard I have come across in quite a while
I hope this relationship is long and fruitful because as sure as all hell no one else is going to pitch this one again.
Carn old man. Show yourself.
Some interesting commentary on my previous post.
I would be fascinated to know what your proposal is for a more efficient, effective and equitable process would be.
By the way thanks for presuming I am ‘old’ and ‘male’.
And end note- each of the suggestions I made was to benefit you, the business you own (or work for) and your staff.
insufferable.
Here’s one for you, PAY the agencies to pitch.
Hey @impossible I don’t understand why you don’t like suggestions that protect the interests and well being of the agencies and staff. Didn’t get a ticket to Cannes? Hmm
@The client not unreasonable at all – it would reduce the number of agencies and tighten up the pitch scope to specifics. Although history suggests that agencies will often over invest in style over substance when it comes to presenting.
Anyway that’s it for now. See ya.