According to Nokia China VP of marketing Chris Leong, the review will see all of Nokia's global incumbents invited, but will not be limited to the current roster alone.
The pitch puts two longstanding agency relationships under review, and is believed to stem from a desire to re-examine existing ties. Bates currently holds creative duties across Asia-Pacific, including India and China, while Grey leads the business in North America and Europe.
“We’ve been with Bates for over 10 years in Asia, and Grey for a very long time too,” said Leong. "We’d like the review process itself to determine what the best model is for creative excellence.”
Leong added that details regarding agency criteria and the review structure had yet to be ironed out. But an RFP will go out "fairly soon” with the process scheduled for completion by the middle of 2007.
The pitch will look strictly at creative, and will not include either local below-the-line activities or media - which was handed to MediaCom in Asia-Pacific last year. Leong pointed out that digital will play a role, adding that the company is not necessarily looking to trim the number of agencies on its global roster.
A WPP source added that a review was "inevitable” given the desire from global HQ, but noted that "Bates has achieved high levels of client satisifaction in Asia".
