CIA signs off 2000 with worldwide SIA account

<p>CIA has won one of the biggest media shoot-outs of the year, </p><p>involving virtually all of the major regional media agencies operating </p><p>in Asia-Pacific. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The agency has clinched the multi-million dollar Singapore Airlines </p><p>worldwide account, dealing a blow to incumbent Maximise, which had been </p><p>handling the business since Batey Ads became part of the WPP group in </p><p>April 1998. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>There are no changes to the main creative agency, Batey, which has been </p><p>with SIA for the past 28 years. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The media account is estimated to be worth around the Sdollars 100 </p><p>million mark (about USdollars 57 million), representing the biggest </p><p>Asian-based account win for CIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>SIA called for a pitch in May, inviting more than five of the biggest </p><p>regional players to make presentations. The number was gradually </p><p>whittled down over successive months to three agencies: CIA, Maximise </p><p>and OMD. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>CIA came out on top because its strategic and creative recommendations </p><p>were deemed stronger. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A source said that although the agency was not as big compared with some </p><p>of the other media agencies operating in the region, the appointment was </p><p>important because "we were chosen by Asia's most admired company </p><p>following an exhaustive review". </p><p><BR><BR> </p>