The four-month review could lead to a change in the media agencies MasterCard works with, the key relationship being Universal McCann, the global agency-of-record.
Natalie Lockwood, group head, marketing, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), MasterCard, said: “We are happy with our media agencies at the moment. But we have to ensure they are operating in the most efficient and productive way.
Natalie Lockwood, group head, marketing, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), MasterCard, said: “We are happy with our media agencies at the moment. But we have to ensure they are operating in the most efficient and productive way.
“The global media landscape is changing very quickly. So is the financial services industry. We have to ask ourselves whether we are applying our marketing budget as efficiently as possible.
“Could this lead to a change in media partner? Potentially, yes. But it is more an assessment of our own internal practices in Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world. There is always room for improvement in our approach to media.”
The audit will not encroach on the company’s advertising, made famous by the long-running ‘Priceless’ campaign, by McCann Erickson.
“At this stage, we are purely reviewing media. Although we will look at modifying it overtime, we couldn’t be more proud of ‘Priceless’,” Lockwood added.
News of the media review coincides with an impressive company performance in Lockwood’s region.
By year-end 2007, MasterCard APMEA had seen double-digit growth in purchase volume (24 per cent), purchase transaction (21 per cent), cash transactions (19 per cent) and the number of cards issued (15 per cent).
Figures reveal that in 2007, more than 209 million Master-Card cards, excluding Cirrus and Maestro,were issued by the brand’s various financial affiliates.
