OMD outguns pair on Standard Chartered

HONG KONG: OMD has beaten off Maximize and Zenith to win the consolidated US$20 million Standard Chartered Hong Kong media buying account. The appointment comes just months after the bank, which also runs a credit card operation under the Manhattan brand, realigned its global creative assignment with J.Walter Thompson, which left FCB and Leo Burnett out in the cold. Because of the realignment with JWT, fellow WPP agency Maximize had been expected to win the buying agency or record account. But OMD, part of the Omnicom network, is no stranger to the banking group, having handled the Manhattan Cards business since it was set up in Asia three-and-a-half years ago. The planning side of the assignment remains unchanged, with OMD handling Manhattan Cards, and Standard Chartered serviced by Maximize. OMD Greater China managing director, Maggie Choi, discounted the possibility of conflict with Maximize. "We will work closely with them in the interest of furthering the client's business," she said. The media buying account is only for Hong Kong, Standard Chartered's biggest market, but Choi added: "We hope to develop the relationship to include other markets in the region in future." She said OMD won "through a demonstration of cost efficiency and a commitment to the business and that included coming up with concrete examples of the savings we could deliver". FCB will continue to handle some media and creative work for the bank, but only until the end of the month when its contract expires. This work included the recent launch of the InvestPro television and print campaign to promote Standard Chartered's consumer investment division. Standard Chartered began moves to reorganise both its creative and media accounts earlier in the year, with the aim of consolidating resources to improve overall cost-efficiencies amid the global economic slump.

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