Telstra drops BWM Sydney from agency roster; Photon shares drop to all-time low of 5 cents
After eight years of campaigns across a range of products and services for Telstra, Belgiovane Williams Mackay has been dropped from the agency roster – effective July 31.
The news was released to the ASX at 3.30pm which caused the share price of Photon – BWM’s owner – to drop to an all-time low 5 cents.
The agency created a string of memorable ad campaigns, including the famous “Patrick and Daniel” campaign for BigPond – specifically the much loved and awarded ‘Education’ spot – ranked number two on CB’s Top 30 Commercials of the decade – the effective ‘Call your mum’ campaign to increase usage and successfully re-introduced the Erncorp campaign for Telstra business.
The firing of BWM was no surprise to many industry watchers, coming fourteen months after the departure of BigPond chief Justin Milne and nine months after the departure of Amanda Johnston-Pell, the former executive director of brands and marketing communications. Both were big supporters of BWM.
BWM’s fate was probably sealed soon after the arrival of new chief marketing officer Mark Buckman (left), and it comes almost a year after the appointment of director creativity and innovation, Mark Collis.
Projects that would have been earmarked for BWM will now be shared between Telstra’s roster shops Ogilvy, Droga5 and Three Drunk Monkeys.
Says a Telstra spokesperson: “Telstra has been busy changing behind the scenes to better connect with our customers and this tighter agency roster will help us to communicate in the market.
“We thank BWM for its work with Telstra over the years and the contribution it has made in advertising new products and services to our customers.”
“It’s a brilliant innings by anyone’s standards and Telstra is a fantastic client that understands the power of starting conversations. The work was highly successful for them in terms of business results as well as creative and effectiveness awards,” said BWM CEO Paul Williams.
“We’ve had a great run working with them and we wish them the best going forward.”
Adds BWM executive creative director Rob Belgiovane (left): “Our Patrick and Daniel campaigns for BigPond triggered one of Australia’s first social media dialogue across all demographics and, importantly, was loved by the Australian public, who voted BigPond ‘Rabbits’ the country’s favourite ad in both 2007and 2008.”
Other awards for Telstra work include two Gold and two Silver Effies for effectiveness, five Cannes finalists, a Silver and a finalist at New York Festivals, two Silver and one Bronze AWARD Awards, a highly commended and four finalists in Caxtons, two Silvers at ADMA, a gold and two Firsts at Mobius and the Grand Prix at the APG Planning awards.
On the plus side, BWM has this year won $50m in new business billings including the Kmart account, Selley’s, and Department of Health and Ageing.
“With the new business gains in Melbourne and Sydney we will be able to keep redundancies to a minimum,” said Williams.
Responsibilities on the roster over the last 18 months were mostly limited to Telstra Business.
14 Comments
Thats weird, I heard they let 18 people go a few months back…?
Anyway, its a cruel business. All the best to BWM.
……is that what it was, I could here the champagne corks popping from here!
Although they may be remembered for the strong relationship with a certain ex-Marketing Director at Telstra, they also moved beyond this and provided work as good, if not better than, any other agency on the Telstra roster.
Let’s see what genius work comes out of 400 George in the next few months. Likely to be from overseas as clearly there is no talent in this country.
Justin Milne and Rob were business partners and friends dating back more than twenty years, so it was no secret how BWM got the Telstra work in the day, nor should it be any surprise that not too long after Milne’s departure from Telstra, so rapidly his fall after his rise from BigPond to managing the entire brand, BWM would be out the door soon as well.
Sadly, Australian business is not run as a meritocracy, but as a series of mate’s groups, and all the members of each of these circle of friends have known one other since their private school days, or even earlier if their fathers were mates. if you live and prosper only by your personal relationships, as opposed to your abilities and talents, then you will certainly die by the same. In the end, you’re only as prosperous in this little corner of the world, and as secure as the status of your circle of friends. Small town.
Not the most fashionable agency brand in the country, but a great bunch of blokes who do really good work. Good luck to them.
Good job frodo.
What a shame the rest of the Telstra work is crap. If I have to watch that stupid Kombi van TVC again I’ll die.
5:16 – the Kombi ad was BWMs work.
Unfortunately, good agencies get fired for no reason. Bad agencies keep accounts, for years, for no reason. It comes down to relationships. Unfortunately.
Sorry to hear it Rob.
The wheel of shit turns.
Don’t worry DDB it’ll be your turn soon enough.
The game is about never depending on a single client for your agency to be successful or profitable.
At 5 cents good time to buy.
“See ya cnuts!”
Hey Zen, if you check your facts I’m pretty sure you’ll find Belgo never went to a private school.
Making ads people love for a brand people hate is a great achievement.
Name one ad for Telstra that another agency has made that you can even remember.
Well done BWM. Onward and upwards.