TMI opens to first round wooing

Malaysia – TM International (TMI) has called a pitch for its creative account and has called for the first round to take place before looking into the possibilities of calling for more.

The confirmation clarifies and sets the record straight against other reports that the telecommunications company was calling a pitch for a re-branding campaign.

"We have called for several initial exploratory pitches but we may opt to call for further pitches at a later stage,” said Izlyn Ramli who is Group Strategy Corporate Communications head.

TMI needs to have its own agency following the de-merger process from Telekom Malaysia (TM) which was completed on April 27, this year, but at the same time, it is also much more than that, she adds.

TMI is looking to embark on a series of changes and re-examining many parts of the business.

“We created a new vision and charted a new strategy.

“One of the things being explored is efforts to position ourselves into a stand alone entity which would reflect our position as Asia’s emerging leader in mobile telecommunications,” Izlyn said.

TMI has a significant presence in Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Cambodia.

In addition, it has strategic mobile and non-mobile telecommunications operations and investments in India, Singapore, Iran, Pakistan and Thailand.

Post de-merger, TMI announced a new Board and management team and has implemented a new engagement model between it and its operating companies.

“Naturally, given all these, we need a new image and to reposition ourselves accordingly so this exercise is a strategic one for us,” Izlyn added.

On the task before the agencies, she said the scope of TMI’s campaign and subsequent strategies are being currently developed and these will be refined further when the agency is selected.

Asked when the pitch would take place, TMI only disclosed that it would be “before the end of this year”.

However, agency sources say the pitch will take place in early October, at the TMI headquarters, here.

It was reported that five agencies will be wooing TMI at the pitch and so far, Draft FCB is confirmed to be on the list.

It is believed that M&C Saatchi with which Draft shares the TM account, and Saatchi & Saatchi will also be participating, along with Lowe and McCann Erickson but attempts to confirm this were unsuccessful.

Incorporated in 1992, Telekom Malaysia International Sdn Bhd commenced business in 1994 and then changed its name to TM International Sdn Bhd on Oct 16, 2001.

On Dec 12, last year, the company was converted into a public company and was enlisted on the Bursa Malaysia’s Main Board on April 28, this year.

TMI is among the top ten biggest public limited companies by market capitilisation and has about 50 million mobile subscribers in Asia, placing it among the largest mobile telecommunication providers in the region by turnover.