Agencies on alert for account shake-ups as Mark Buckman switches from Comm Bank to Telstra
Local agencies have high hopes the Commonwealth Bank account will return to Australian shores as chief marketing officer Mark Buckman leaves the bank to join Telstra as chief marketing officer. Barbara Chapman, the bank’s group executive HR and Group Services, who worked closely with Buckman, becomes the acting CMO while a replacement is sought.
Buckman, who joined the bank five years ago, controversially appointed Goodby Silverstein & Partners San Francisco to its mainstream brand account in 2007. He starts at the telco early next year, reporting into Kate McKenzie, who has been promoted to group managing director, Telstra Innovation, Products and Marketing.
Buckman said: “While I’m sad to be leaving CBA where I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the past five years, I am very excited to be joining Telstra at this exciting time in the company’s transformation. The telecommunications industry is going through rapid change and brands have never been more important to help attract and retain customers. I look forward to contributing to Telstra’s success.”
Telstra’s rostered agencies include BWM, DDB, Three Drunk Monkeys and Ogilvy. BMF has the direct component of the CommBank account.
McKenzie said that during his five years at CBA Buckman reinvigorated the bank’s brand, transformed its marketing, helped revamped the online channels and strengthened the bank’s focus on customer service.
She added: “He joins Telstra with a track record of achieving outstanding business results and helping to drive the CBA’s focus on improved customer service – two strengths that will be highly valued at Telstra, and by our customers and shareholders as we become a true sales and marketing company that is faster to market and more focused on our customers. Mark’s appointment now completes the talented line-up we have built in our Brand & Strategic Marketing team with Mark Collis and Inese Kingsmill also joining us this year.”
The Chief Marketing Office will now be known as Telstra Innovation, Products and Marketing.
“While it remains business as usual for our Group, this new name ensures the full extent of our remit is captured and acknowledged both inside and outside of Telstra,” said McKenzie.
The CommBank’s Chapman also paid tribute to Buckman, saying he’s a strong and unique marketing talent who over the past five years has taken many courageous steps to significantly transform marketing within the Commonwealth Bank.
“He leaves behind a great team, and has made a real difference to our brand internally and externally,” she said. “Although we are disappointed to see Mark leave, we acknowledge that this is a wonderful opportunity for further career advancement and we wish him well in his future career”.
She added that Buckman had been instrumental in leading the bank’s game changing ‘Determined to be Different’ strategy, including the initial ‘American Advertising Agency’ campaign and the current ‘Community and Service’ campaign featuring TVCs helmed by renowned French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
18 Comments
Maybe he’ll give the entire Telstra account to Goodbys.
Hopefully he doesn’t want to appoint an agency in San Francisco because he likes the free flights over there.
Telstra going offshore would be as un-Australian as QANTAS, VB or dare I say, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia sending their ads overseas.
Watch for Chris Ford ex Goodby’s now @ ogilvy to see if that strategy worked
So that’s how you reward the person responsible for one of the biggest fiascos in the history of Australian marketing. Jesus Christ! The lunatics running the asylum.
Well done Mark! Telstra’s lucky to have such a huge talent. Ax
This is almost too funny for words
Who is prepared to run a book to see how long each of the new Telstra ‘heavy hitters’ last with each other?
Just imagine the ego’s in the room as this farce plays out
And what about the grandstanding headhunter getting in on the P.R. action….a bit full of himself perhaps?
Bizarre as this new arrangement looks like they couldn’t possibly do a worse job than the previous regime at Telstra,
Im really interested to see how this will play out. I think CBA will not be shedding too many tears over his departure. Barbra Chapmann is one very tough,smart lady and Im sure she knows of the public reaction to their advertising, despite what they say in Public.
With mark and his ego leaving this presents the perfect opportunity to make the bank appear moe Aussie than those terrible cricket ads and community spirit ads, without losing face. If they do not dump it’s agency and go local now, then CBA is really is full of people who live in their own bubbble.
I know a little about all the players in there at CBA and I think 9:51 reads the situation very well.
Also Buckman himself is no dummy (at least politically) and the timing of him bailing out is interesting too.
Lynchy, please can we see a shot of the Headhunter hugging Mark Buckman?
He keeps patting himself on the back big time over every appointment he makes, surely all his efforts warrant a photo?? And he’s such a swish dresser, he’ll make a colourful addition to the blog!!
Good idea, you could caption the pic Mark/Anthony
The marketing department is full of Chiefs, the call-centre is full of Indians.
The ‘other blog’ has closed comments on this topic ‘for legal reasons’.
I’m wondering if it’s worth having them if the proprietors have no nuts.
Love him or hate him, you have to admit he got people talking about bank advertsing.
I can’t remember the last Telstra ad that gtot talked about.
Good Luck Mark.
@1:15 . Yes I agree Hourigan really loves his own work. I notice Mark provides hourigan a glowing testimonial on the Hourigan website.I guess you don’t have to search far in a worldwide. I wonder if he still charged full commission.
Oh dear, I hope he lasts longer in the job than that South African ECD he put into Lowe Sydney (3 months) or the South Africans he put into the Palace Melbourne (a year) or Dylan Harrison in Saatchi Auckland (10 months)
Yes 1.15…and if you look at the testimonials section of his website you’ll notice how out of date much of it is.
For a guy who continually claims to own the marketplace, you’d think he’d have the sense to at least look current
Absolutely agree about Barbara Chapman being smart and tough. No-crap would be another good descriptor. There seems to be a fair bit of crap for her to start working on removing.