Lexus Australia picks M&C Saatchi as new agency partner ending 25 years at Saatchi
Lexus Australia has appointed M&C Saatchi to lead its brand and retail creative, effective July 1.
M&C Saatchi will take over creative responsibilities from Saatchi and Saatchi, which has had the business since its inception 25 years ago, while retail creative will move from OddfellowsDentsu.
Under the new appointment, M&C Saatchi will fulfill the role of lead agency – bringing together all of Lexus’ rostered agencies to ensure clear and consistent messaging across all communication channels.
Lexus Australia chief executive Sean Hanley said the appointment of M&C Saatchi will assist in preparing the luxury brand for growth in the coming years.
Says Hanley: “As Lexus enters its 25th year in Australia, the time has come for us to focus on building an even stronger identity.
“Via the recently formed Lexus International business arm, our engineers and designers have been working tirelessly to deliver vehicles that are uniquely Lexus – our role locally is to ensure that we align our marketing efforts with this product.
“The appointment of M&C Saatchi allows us to fully explore our own identity.”
Says Jaimes Leggett, M&C Saatchi Australasian CEO: “Lexus is an iconic brand with a brilliant product. We’re excited and humbled by this opportunity to partner with them.”
Says Michael Rebelo, Saatchi and Saatchi Australia CEO: “Today we stand proud of our 25-year partnership with Lexus. We launched the brand into the Australian market, watched the business grow and most of all built some deep and genuine relationships with the people at Lexus. It’s a special brand that has an exciting future and we wish them the best.”
Says Andrew Black, OddfellowsDentsu CEO: “It has been a privilege to have been part of the development of the Lexus brand in Australia. While we are obviously disappointed not to be working with this great brand going forward, we wish them every success in the future.”
18 Comments
M&C are on fire.
NRMA – now Lexus.
Onya guys.
Great win. M&C is a pitch machine
These guys are only going to get better. Huge win to pull that account out of Saatchi’s after 25 years
Wow, that’s huge, M&C kicking some serious goals
MAN 1: “What’s the name of your Agency?”
MAN 2: “Umm…Saatchi something…”
It was just a matter of time. Saatchis lost their way years ago.
Ouch. That’s going to hurt a lot of people, including the brand.
It’s about time. Toyota should be looking to do the same thing with their agencies – it’s an old boys club that look after each other rather than looking for better creative, event solutions and price! Time for fresh blood and eyes all round!
Big move. It’s got to hurt.
All the best to the team at Saatchi & Oddfellows.
Lexus need a lot more than a new agency… Hiring some actual marketers (as opposed to Toyota sales guys) would be a start.
Fantastic joke. Well written. Pithy. Nicely constructed. Of course, I doubt you’d say it to the faces of those who may or or not be affected by this decision in a negative way. Instead of simply congratulating M&C, you put the boot in to Saatchis. Nothing new there. I guess that’s what some people get a thrill out of. Instead of rallying around each other when the chips are down as a result of client decisions which could impact adversely on some terrific people (who, you never know, could even be your friends or friends of friends), you take the opportunity to get a cheap grin. Well for those who don’t care, I’m sure you got the applause you sought. For those who do care about this industry and are mature enough to realise losing an account could happen to them at any time, I’m sure your comments come across as tasteless and cheap. Suppose that’s why you haven’t put your name to it though, right? Before you say anything, no I’m not from Saatchis. I’m part of this terrific industry that should be supportive of each other in the bad times. Because they are really upsetting times for people. I just hope this kind of thing doesn’t happen to you one day. It ain’t nice.
I worked at Saatchi’s. We use to bend over backwards to please Toyota/Lexus only to have some car salesman try tell us how to do advertising. It’s the way they work, they promote car salesman into marketing roles. That’s right, the guy that was selling cars one week is the guy you present to the next. No experience, no vision and not a single creative bone and why should they it’s not what they’re good at. Now it’s been a while so things may have changed over there but judging from the previous comments it doesn’t seem that way.
Bad luck Saatchi’s. A lot of talented people tried hard on this account.
Good luck M&C. A win is a win and you guys have been doing a lot of it recently. Hope you can out sell the car salesman. The brand deserves better.
From the outside looking in… There is absolutely no way I could have said it better myself @ To Relentless Pursuit Of Mediocrity said:.
Robust conversation and constructive criticism will motivate creatives to do better, however downright meanness is just that – MEAN.
No doubt there’s winners and losers here and while some will celebrate the winners, spare a thought for the guys that just lost the account. No doubt there will be stress and doubt in their lives right now.
Yes that’s business but there are humans and their livelihood at the end of this decision.
Rise above it guys and use this forum to better your craft.
That way if you lose business you’ll be in a better state to move on, go out and win a new/better account.
what are you crying about? Everybody in advertising pitch for new business and everybody will experience losing their jobs when losing an account. I did, and I moved on somewhere else knowing the reasons for me being let go were mathematic and not about the quality of my work. When an agency win, one lose but the industry is still strong as one agency will hire massively while the losing one will let go people…it’s called balance.It’s advertising, it’s the way it is and I’m sorry you only found out about it this week.
I worked on this account and it’s not a very big piece of business. If they had lost Toyota, well, there really would be blood dripping into George Street. This lost will just bruise a few egos, that’s about it.
This should be seen as an opportunity.
I’m sure M&C will be hiring off the back of their recent wins.
A new job brings the opportunity to refresh your thinking, your work and your approach.
Power to all of you.
To @The Relentless Pursuit of Mediocrity:
Boy, you are one humourless idiot.
I was not having a shot at either of the agencies.
If you had even a basic grasp of the subject, you would have got that the joke was directed at the self-important twenty to thirtysomething marketing people – on the client side – particularly those on the junior end such as brand managers who think they’re hot shit but have very little actual power over the decision-making process. The power to say Maybe, but not Yes. They see themselves as very important because they work on the fringe of that oh-so-glamorous advertising business, but actually occupy a sad little cubicle in a bland office somewhere in Caringbah or somewhere equally depressing all over Australia and the world.
I dealt with plenty of them over a 30 year career – including when I worked on the Toyota – and therefore Lexus – business at Saatchis last century.
No worries. Call me an idiot. I guess if insults make you feel better then go for it.