MANILA – The excitement of earning new business is a feeling that every advertising agency yearns to have. For an agency that was in the middle of some changes in ownership, the securing of new business becomes an even greater source of pride. That was the situation that Dentsu JaymeSyfu found itself in when Unilever invited a few select agencies to pitch in November 2015.
While the then-DM9 JaymeSyfu was in the middle of being acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network, the agency was one of the few agencies invited to pitch for Unilever’s above the line business. Meanwhile, their digital arm, Dentsu Digit, was one of several agencies that pitched for Unilever’s digital business.
Dentsu JaymeSyfu Chairmom and Chief Creative Officer Merlee Jayme told adobo that the key strength of their pitch was “integration, demonstrated in our work and in the process we do our work.” She added that, “For 2016, Unilever’s move to consider digital as a key channel was apparent. They (Unilever) are also looking at a synergy in their ATL and digital efforts.”
Despite not being a “club agency,” the portfolio of Dentsu JaymeSyfu was impressive enough that Unilever invited them to make their pitch for the ATL business. “You earn this honor,” Jayme shares. “It’s always about the powerful work and the people. With my experience, we were never handed accounts on a silver platter. We worked hard for each one we have.”
As a result of those efforts, Dentsu JaymeSyfu earned lead creative duties beginning in the second quarter of 2016 for Creamsilk, Surf, Breeze, Sunlight, Cif, and Cleanipedia. Meanwhile, Dentsu Digit was named digital AOR for those brands as well as Master, Axe, Eskinol, Block and White, Selecta, and Magnum. An impressive haul if there ever was one.
With the pitch occuring in late 2015, the agency could have easily pulled in any of their “big guns” to see to it that the pitch would be perfect. Surprisingly however, that was not the case. “Only the agency’s mancom presented on this pitch,” Jayme notes before adding, “We didn’t let it ruin everyone’s holidays.”
Now that the business has been won, the hard part begins for the agency. Rather than shirk away from the challenge though, Jayme and Dentsu JaymeSyfu welcome what Unilver brings. “This pitch signals the exciting year ahead of us,” she says with optimism. “The infusion of new blood definitely brings out the hunger, the passion, and the energy from us. It totally feels like ‘dejafu.’”
