The agency, which has so far braved a turbulent year, impressed the TAC with its idea for a road safety campaign designed to quell the rise in local road trauma. D'Arcy beat TAC agency partners Haystack Public Affairs and Grey Melbourne - which has traditionally created the bulk of the TAC's campaigns.
"The brief was very much to have a look at the existing situation we were facing with the road toll, TAC communications manager De-Arnne Schmidt said.
"Last year's road toll was the highest in 10 years, she said in reference to the fact that 444 people died on Victorian roads in 2001, compared with 407 the previous year.
Schmidt would not state how much the project was worth. As a whole the TAC is estimated to spend A$30 million (US$17 million) on advertising annually, the bulk of this funnelled through Grey. D'Arcy's win appears to discount recent industry speculation that the agency was set to close its Melbourne office and merge with sister Bcom3-owned agency Leo Burnett.
D'Arcy Australia would not comment on the TAC win.
