Media Edge reels in $23m SingTel work

<p>SINGAPORE: The Media Edge (TME) outgunned its rivals to scoop the </p><p>S$40 million (US$23 million) Singapore Telecommunications </p><p>consolidated media deal, the largest pitch in Singapore this year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Young & Rubicam shop pitched against Starcom, Carat and Zenith for </p><p>the media buying contract, which was previously split among several </p><p>agencies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>TME was the main incumbent on the business, although O2 Advertising did </p><p>some buying and Starcom handled SingTel's youth brand Pod and retail </p><p>advertising for its mobile services. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Starcom managing director D. Sriram,said there would be no job cuts as a </p><p>result of the loss as the agency only handled 15 per cent of SingTel's </p><p>media buying. "TME largely had the account. There must have been some </p><p>resistance to moving it." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Sriram added: "SingTel was the biggest spender but it wasn't buying as </p><p>one. It was buying as a group of fragmented companies." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A SingTel spokeswoman confirmed there would be a separate pitch for </p><p>media planning. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>TME managing director Adrian Smith said his agency would employ four </p><p>extra people to handle the increase in billings. Smith said agencies in </p><p>the pitch had to complete a test for the buying TV spots to achieve a </p><p>certain reach and frequency against particular target audiences. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>