CommBank goes out to pitch: Goodby and BMF to defend against against several local agencies

After four years with Goodby Silverstein, San Francisco and BMF Sydney, the prized Commonwealth Bank account is going out to pitch, four months after Andrew Lark took over as chief marketing officer.

In an email to CB Lark says: “The Goodby and BMF relationships have served us well over the past four years, delivering exceptional results. We are particularly proud of the recent Centenary campaign.

“Goodby and BMF – along with several other local agencies – will be participating in a process to identify our lead agency or agencies for brand and category work. Four years into working together, coupled with significant market changes, make this the right-time for us to consider this.

“We continue to build significant momentum through its focus on customers, social and technology, something we intend this partnership to amplify. Since arriving in Australia three months ago I’ve been incredibly impressed by the creative talent and smarts here – and believe we can partner these with our global resources to achieve great things.

“This is a process that we started a month or so ago and expect to conclude in early to mid December. Our digital and media agencies are not in the scope of this review.”

Lark joined from Dell, filling the vacuum left by the departure of Mark Buckman (left) to Telstra at the end of last year.

As CB reported back in June, Australian agencies had high hopes the Commonwealth Bank account would return to Australian shores, and it remains to be seen if Lark takes the brand business off Goodby Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, reversing a controversial decision made by Buckman in 2007.