The business is estimated to bill 450 million pesos (US$8.2 million), according to monitored spend data. DDB pitched with former BBDO/ Guerrero Ortega ECD Merlee Jayme, who defected to join the network's second-line agency, DM9. DDB will split account duties between COO Roy Santiago, a veteran on the business who put together the pitch team in two weeks, and Susan Dimacali, the agency's newly-appointed vice-chairman and chief marketing officer, also an ex-BBDO senior officer.
Burnett was seen as invincible in the pitch after creating memorable campaigns such as 'Lola' and 'Jasmin Trio', featuring American Idol finalist Jasmin Trias, which won McDonald's global internal excellence competition for Best Multimedia Campaign. The agency had handled McDonald's for more than 14 of its 25 years in the market. The Philippines is McDonald's largest market in Southeast Asia, operating 250 outlets.
Meanwhile, the industry has expressed surprise that DDB turned to its Omnicom sibling for talent to staff DM9. In addition to Jayme, account service head Alex Syfu joined as MD and COO, along with Proximity CD Nonon del Carmen.
Burnett knocked off McDonald's as DDB wins brief
McDonald's has switched its Philippine creative business to DDB, its other globally-aligned agency, following what was described as the "pitch of the year" shootout against long-standing incumbent Leo Burnett.
