SINGAPORE: The US$30 million Singapore Telecommunications media
account is under review as the telecom giant moves to boost cost
efficiencies in a recessionary climate.
Sources close to the pitch said that SingTel was moving to "make its
advertising dollar work harder and it is looking at achieving its goal
by possibly consolidating with one media agency". Agencies said to be
pitching include The Media Edge (TME), Starcom, Carat and Zenith.
TME is believed to have an edge over rivals because it currently handles
the bulk of the media. It is estimated that TME and its parent, Dentsu
Young & Rubicam, handle as much as 70 per cent of the entire SingTel
account.
"It would be the safest decision," said a source
The existing set-up is far from clear to determine who would pose a
major challenge to TME. Starcom, which handles youth brand Pod and
places some of the retail ads for mobile services, also looks after the
planning and buying for SingTel's global corporate advertising outside
of Singapore.
This is split further as TME handles ad rate negotiations for press,
while Starcom does television rate negotiations. Although no review has
been called on the advertising side, this is again handled by a
mish-mash of agencies.
Additional reporting by Leithen Francis.
