Shangri-La chooses Havas Media for global planning and buying

The pitch began in September. The incumbent, Maxus, along with its sister GroupM agencies, sat out due to a reported client conflict. The account is worth US$30 million per year, according to pitch consultancy R3, which managed the process.

Havas Media will handle media planning and buying across all of the brand's markets and properties, which are heavily weighted toward Asia and especially mainland China. The agency was selected for its ability to deliver media innovations and strong integrated solutions, according to a statement. 

"Shangri-La Hotels is a brand synonymous with Asian luxury and hospitality," said Stuart Clark, managing director of Havas Media International APAC. "They have produced some really interesting campaigns over the last few years, taking the brand into a unique territory within the category. We will leverage all our specialist resources in international and luxury marketing to help them build on that platform in 2013 and beyond."

"This was a highly competitive review, but MPG edged over through focusing on the doing the basics very very well, and a good internal team chemistry," said Greg Paull, principal at R3. "Shangri-la has very aggressive plans to become a truly global Asian brand—with Paris open and Istanbul, London and other hotels planned. They are catching the wave of the highly outward looking Chinese tourist."