US, Sydney takes Nike business off Mojo – major Socceroos and All Whites campaigns planned in lead-up to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa
March 26 2010, 6:29 pm | | 37 Comments
EXCLUSIVE – Campaign Brief can reveal that the prized Nike business has moved from Publicis Mojo – where it has been since October 2002 – to US, Sydney.
The business was won after a secret two way pitch against the incumbent – no other agencies were invited.
Agency creative partner Josh Moore (pictured) told Campaign Brief: “Our first two campaigns will be for the Socceroos and the All Whites for the World Cup. We are ecstatic as the significant budgets involved will mean we can bring sizable campaigns into both markets.”
37 Comments
Big news…
Secret, closed pitches always have a story behind them. I wonder what this one is?
sad day for mojo, they have done great work on this account. The world cup campaign is a great example – they created something from nothing on that one. sk
Big news. Symbolic. Congratulations!
Mojo looks to be in serious, serious trouble. It’s time for the place to be shaken up.
Great news indeed! Well done Josh
Now that’s what I call Brand Karma…
This is what happens by allowing a person to accumulate a disproportionate amount of power without a clear succession plan. When that person leaves, it all falls apart like a house of cards. It’s a real pity to see.
what’s Nike?
Congrats to US. Big win.
Right from under the noses.
So one day I read the Chief Creative Officer of Mojo is off on some brand karma project (WTF) and the next day I read the agency he is repsonsible for loses Nike. Maybe Craig can do a study on smelling rats because I smell a big one. Get back to the business Mr Davis.
Was this Franklin Tipton’s first pitch as the new ECD of Mojo Melbourne (where the Nike OZ business is based)? If so, I hope it’s not his last. Although you can’t blame him as he hardly has a creative department any more after Darren and the gang went off to Fallon USA.
If it was a regional pitch, was it led by chief creative officer Craig Davis or Sydney ECD Micah Walker? Anyone know?
“All Whites campaigns planned in lead-up to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa”
W.T.F vs Apartheid?
Nyeah… when was the last time you saw Nike do a TV ad? Print?
It’s all in store POS work.
Well done on the win boys.
handled out of melbourne, as it always has been
In any other agency in the world, departing executives would have to sign a ‘no-poaching’ clause. Darren was allowed to take the cream of the creative department with him. Management was so keen to cut the salaries from the quarterly bottom line they virtually helped them all pack. Don’t feel sorry for them when there are consequences. When’s Tourism Vic up for review?
whats US website? bloody hard name to google.
This wasn’t a creative pitch for all those concerned people!!!!!
Nothing 2 way about this pitch.
Watch Clemenger Sydney go the same way. They’ve been very trigger happy to get rid of the big salaries, but also the talent.
Hey 12:44 US website address
http://www.razor.net.au/
There was no creative pitch.
Nike has not been a creative client since the World Cup mentioned in a previous comment. Nike brand creative and 90% of its production has been centralised over the past 2 years, this has been a protective measure to save a business struggling worldwide. Financially this has been successful for Nike. Locally this has meant they are a ‘take-down’ client, nothing more. Razor adopts (without pitch) a take-down client, and creative assets produced abroad for them to place local media against.
This is the right move for Nike, to use a more cost effective production house and media led partner for this type of work. There are no concerns at Mojo about this loss, it was the agency decision not to pitch, as Nike had ceased to be a creative client a long time ago; a great name to have in the book and great work produced for it – in the past.
As for Mojo itself, its never felt more cohesive; surely the PayPal and Virgin wins illustrate this.
Bit late to be planning 2 “big” world cup campaigns (2 months out). Making decisions on the run??
Most other high profile football brands have been planning campaigns and booking media since mid-last year.
Should’ve put to pitch this time last year if they wanted better work. Now it will probably go backwards not forwards.
mojo melbourne hasn’t been doing great work for awhile. When mr spiller was there they were struggling to get out the goods and they still are.
Don’t disagree with the last point. Mojo Melbourne do the good Interactive work, that seems to be where the talent is, the rest of the agency are a bit whatever…
We love the cohesion that comes from losing clients like Nike!
Go 9.45, go!
So it wasn’t a pitch, and they wont be doing the creative?
Bravo,well done but who writes these press releases anyway?
US Sydney, bit excitable by all accounts.
It would seem the people in the know like us…… seem to be doing a good job at creative work and winning clients….
Mojo, a bit weak on every Account.
I suppose when you treat your seniors like juniors, it’s hard for clients to take them seriously once the “big man” has gone.
It’s a Mojo issue. Once you get to a certain level there’s no where to go, but out; unless you were there from the beginning.
The place has had real talent through it. A testiment to it’s history and interior design.
Luckily, most Ex Mojo go on to do well.
Isn’t Josh Ex mojo?
Karma: what goes around comes around.
Just to clarify, neither US Sydney, nor myself have anything but respect for Mojo and Mojo’s work.
We have absolutely no gripes and do not wish to develop any with people we consider friends. A bit of friendly rivalry is one thing, using some else’s name to air your own issues is another.
Please keep US out of it. Thanks, Josh
did anyone see the real story in Adnews? This is rubbish (so I hear)…
No disrespect intended to all the good people (of which there are many) at Mojo and US. Just an opinion/observation.
And Josh, you’re right. Not the right forum for gripes.
Not intended that way, but can see how it could be read.
Best wishes to all concerned.
Did anyone else not see Mojo Sydney win agency of the year at award last year? I’m not a loyalist either way, but credit where credits due. There’s a whole load of BS here.
I saw them win Agency of the Year for one ad, yes. And that team left.
9:35 – The All Whites is the name of the NZ soccer, sorry football team going to the World Cup Finals in S.A. Believe it or not, there is a world outside Australia you ignorant twat.
Actually they won with boags, camry, corolla and those posters.
No one scored higher, credit where credits due.