McCann a winner in Caltex roster cut

Caltex has consolidated its regional business with McCann-Erickson, which will manage the USdollars 30 million account from Singapore where Caltex has its global headquarters. The petrol retailer moved from having four agencies in seven countries - Singapore (TBWA), Malaysia (FCB), Hong Kong (Bates), Thailand (TBWA Next), Philippines (McCanns), South Africa (FCB) and New Zealand (Bates Palace) - to a single agency network to ensure consistency in brand communication. Caltex also wanted to move away from commissions to a fee-based remuneration system "so there are the right kind of incentives and to remove any bias towards buying TV," said Mr Glenn Weckerlin, Caltex general manager of brand development. McCann will handle all mainstream advertising and some direct marketing work, while Universal McCann has won the media buying and planning account. The first major task is to create a brand campaign that works across all of Caltex's product lines and markets. Caltex wants to become a marketing-driven company and is serious about branding, said Mr Ray Dempsey, McCann's area manager Southeast Asia. He added that the review was the longest that McCann Singapore had ever been involved in. The six agencies completed a 350-page questionnaire and presented credentials last April. Dentsu Young & Rubicam, McCann and TBWA were then short listed for a creative, strategic and media pitch. McCann Singapore used other Asia-Pacific agencies in its network to come up with creative concepts. McCann agencies in the seven markets covered by the review also gave feedback. "It was pretty candid," said Mr Don Norris, McCann's business development director. "We'd show them concepts and they'd say that's crap or that won't translate well in this market." McCann then put the best concepts into research before presenting three to the client, along with the research to show it would be effective. Even when it became clear McCann would win, Caltex procrastinated. Mr Weckerlin said: "Some agency people argued we should make a decision based on whether the agency has the ability to do good creative work. "But we waited until we saw creative concepts that would be used for the upcoming campaign. "We also had to do a lot of internal selling before we came out and announced our decision," he added. Mr Brian Fisher, McCann's worldwide account director, will head up the account, along with Mr Scott Brazil, McCann's regional creative director, who is currently in Malaysia filming the Caltex brand campaign that launches in the coming months.

Sign In

Trouble signing in?

Reset Password: Click here

Contact Customer Support at

Customerservice@campaignasia.com