According to an Omnicom statement, the group will now offer a holding company approach to Motorola's creative requirements, through agencies such as BBDO New York, AMV BBDO, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, and Siegel and Gale. BBDO New York will serve as central coordinating agency.
The news follows the defection of large portions of the Motorola creative business from global incumbent Ogilvy & Mather to Omnicom agencies, including in the US to BBDO and Goodby, and in Europe and the UK to BBDO.
In Asia, TBWA is pitching for both North Asia and high-growth markets accounts against Ogilvy. The Omnicom agency stepped in after sister shop BBDO pitched for the high-growth markets segment -- comprising India, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East -- in mid-March. BBDO was not included in the North Asia review, which took place in late March.
A senior Omnicom staffer noted that Motorola had close ties with Ogilvy in Asia-Pacific but added that " New York is pushing Omnicom agencies". Ogilvy currently handles the North Asia brief, while Ogilvy RedCard is in charge of the high-growth markets assignment. Omnicom's new agreement with Motorola comes after it publicly eschewed the holding company approach embraced by WPP in securing HSBC. "We take the view that Omnicom is not the brand," said the Omnicom source. "But there is a different angle on that in Asia so there is a benefit in terms of delivering scale."
Motorola, TBWA and BBDO all declined to comment, while Omnicom Group representatives were unavailable for comment at press time.
