There was no incumbent on the account as the retailer had previously used a variety of small agencies for projects.
Saatchis' appointment also sparked a shift in the media brief to Publicis Groupe sibling ZenithOptimedia. MindShare was the incumbent.
"That was the most difficult decision as I had no problem at all with MindShare," said Tim Chalk, merchandising and marketing director of Dairy Farm, which operates the 7-Eleven chain.
Chalk said he was looking for a one-stop shop solution to bring greater consistency to the brand's advertising and point-of-sales initiatives.
The chain increased its advertising spend by 14 per cent last year to about HK$72 million (US$9.2 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. While Chalk declined to comment on the possibility of further spending spikes this year, 7-Eleven has been investing in new stores and upgrading the look of its outlets. In the first five months, it opened 15 new stores. "What we are trying to do is to refresh the stores, the product range as our overall mission is to refresh our customers -- it's about instant satisfaction," Chalk said.
7-Eleven taps Saatchis in HK job consolidation
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven has hired Saatchi & Saatchi following a five-way pitch for its advertising and below-the-line business.