$Standard Chartered concludes global creative pitch, parts with TBWA\ after 18 years$

Standard Chartered concludes global creative pitch, parts with TBWA\ after 18 years

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Standard Chartered has appointed Publicis Groupe, led by Leo Burnett, as its global creative agency after a shortlist including incumbents TBWA\ and BLKJ Havas. The pitch was first called in February this year, and was handled by R3. The key markets are understood to be Singapore, Hong Kong, London, and the Middle East, and the contract takes effect from 2023. The duties cover a wide-ranging communications mandate across creative, digital and production services.

Confirming the win to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Standard Chartered said, “Following a rigorous pitch process to appoint a global creative agency, we have made the decision to award the mandate to Publicis Groupe. We are confident that it will be the right partner to take our narrative to the next level, by pushing our creative and digital boundaries."

The global account will be led out of the Singapore office. The win marks the second global AOR appointment won by Publicis Groupe Singapore this year. In January, Singapore Tourism board appointed its agencies BBH and Zenith to manage global creative and media duties respectively. Leo Burnett Singapore also picked up a three-year appointment with Singtel in March 2023. On a Groupe level, it also bagged duties for L’Oréal in Southeast Asia and PepsiCo across China, Southeast Asia and India.

“It’s refreshing to be given the opportunity to work with a brand with such a purposeful belief, which was so clearly reflected in all the people that we met through this process. It’s a privilege to be shaping a global brand of this stature and ambition out of Singapore and I could not be prouder of the team behind this win – they are absolute champions! We look forward to bringing the best of Publicis Groupe to bear on the business,” said Amrita Randhawa, CEO for Publicis Groupe Singapore, and Southeast Asia.

Standard Chartered also added that it is "thankful to TBWA for its support during the past 18 years to bring Standard Chartered’s brand to where it is today". The two have worked on numerous campaigns together, and two years ago ventured into makingan animated film to illustrate complex issues in a relatable and relevant way. They also collaborated last year on a film which demonstrated the impact of carbon, highlighting the bank's commitment to tacking carbon emissions and helping clients finance a transition to net zero.

In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, TBWA\ said, "We are extremely proud of our long-standing relationship with Standard Chartered and TBWA’s role in developing and executing ‘Here for Good,’ the bank’s aspirational brand promise, which has been central to Standard Chartered’s business and brand transformation for over a decade."

"We would also like to thank our teams who have remained committed to delivering progressive thinking and distinctive brand storytelling across all markets, resulting in immense category breaking work throughout our tenure. Recent work includes communicating Standard Chartered’s role in driving global trade, to the bank’s commitment toward tackling carbon emissions, to increasing female leadership in senior positions. As a Collective, we thank Standard Chartered for their enduring trust and partnership, which was always anchored in ‘Here for Good,’ and wish them future success with their new partners," the statement added.

“We want to thank all participating agencies for the energy, time and effort invested in this review,” said Shufen Goh, co-founder and principal at R3 added. “All agencies brought their A-game, and introduced talent from around the globe to propose and deliver a cohesive creative and strategic solution. This was a true testament of commitment to excellence and efficiency.”

Separately, Standard Chartered appointed dentsu International to cover media planning, buying, and strategy for five years in October last year. Both parties have been working together since 2017. Standard Chartered has also had a slew of changes on its marketing team in recent times. Emma Sheller, Standard Chartered's global head of corporate affairs, brand and marketing (CABM), private and business banking as well as global head of brand strategy, left the bank recently after six years with the company. Standard Chartered's spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that global brand is now led by global head of corporate affairs Sarah Hagan, while the private and business banking portfolio is led by Suresh Balaji. Balaji recently joined as global head, corporate affairs, brand and marketing, private and business banking.