THE pitch for $3.5 million Western Australian Tourism Commission (WATC) account has attracted an international player.
TBWA Singapore, possibly in partnership with local agency Vinten Browning, is keen to add the WATC to its account list.
TBWA Singapore group account director Paul Mampilli said TBWA and parent company Omnicom were looking for avenues to expand their business into WA.
“We have a branch in Sydney and a branch in Melbourne, but we have no representation in Perth,” Mr Mampilli said. “The WATC account is seen as an opportunity for TBWA to do something in Perth and possibly as an anchor client for the future.
“We work on the Australian Tourism Commission across the globe.”
The WATC has confirmed that the credentials brief was given to eight different agencies and that a number of submissions were received, including one from an international group.
The WATC hopes to put together a short list of agencies by the middle of June ahead of a panel interview before a final decision is made.
“We are exploring the possibility of tying up with them (Vinten Browning),” Mr Mampilli said.
“So it would be a joint entity.”
Vinten Browning director Steve Browning did not wish to comment on any arrangement or confirm whether the agency was considering a joint venture with an agency in Singapore in a bid for the WATC account.
“I can’t talk about it at the moment. It’s a bit early days,” Mr Browning said.
303 has serviced the WATC account for the past there years after Marketforce handled the business for seven years.
In other Marketforce news, general manager Paul Yole has made a decision to leave the business following a management restructure.
