MindShare snares USdollars 45m Fox brief

<p>TOKYO: WPP's MindShare has edged out incumbent Dentsu to win the media </p><p>planning assignment in Japan for Twentieth Century Fox (Far East) in a </p><p>five-way pitch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Dentsu's loss was compounded when Fox awarded the buying account to </p><p>Asatsu-DK, which is 20 per cent owned by WPP. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Separate pitches were held for the two assignments, which together is </p><p>believed to be worth about USdollars 45 million annually. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MindShare's brief is to work on all of Fox's major movie releases in </p><p>Japan. The first assignment is the summer release of the Planet of the </p><p>Apes - Tim Burton's new film inspired by the Pierre Bovile novel and </p><p>1968 film. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MindShare will be working closely with Fox's in-house media team led by </p><p>national marketing director Toshio Furusawa. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Andrew Meaden, MindShare Japan director, said his agency won the </p><p>planning brief by focusing on cost benefits analysis and by recommending </p><p>creative solutions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There was a very strong business focus in our presentation in terms of </p><p>looking at how much should be spent, where it should be spent and what </p><p>the expected returns would be. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"In addition to recommending traditional media buys like TV and print, </p><p>we also put together advertising options such as setting up a mobile ape </p><p>cage on the back of a truck, complete with ape guards and human </p><p>prisoners, which would form part of the teaser campaign," Meaden </p><p>said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Geoffrey Bossiere, general manager of Twentieth Century Fox in Japan, </p><p>said: "Fox in Japan has been blessed with excellent resources and </p><p>successes in the past. The theatrical market environment and consumer </p><p>attitudes are now changing rapidly. We want to maintain our marketing </p><p>excellence by expanding our thought processes and methods to meet market </p><p>needs." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>There were no changes in the creative side of the account, which is </p><p>handled in-house in the United States. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>