AUCKLAND, Today: The ad agencies that serve two iconic brands in NZ – Vodafone (DDB) and Fonterra’s Tip Top (Colenso BBDO) – are likely to retain their clients for some time yet, despite both being sold offshore.
Fonterra has sold Tip Top to UK-based Froneri (owned by Nestle and R&R Ice Cream) for $380 million, while the NZ arm of Vodafone has been sold to Kiwi company Infratil and Canadian firm Brookfield Asset Management for $3.4 billion.
Colenso MD Scott Coldham was frank when we enquired what the future may hold. “It’s too early to tell unfortunately,” he said. “We’ll keep you posted when we know more.”
“Vodafone NZ will retain its current branding, which gives DDB a head start.”
But all the signs are positive – Coldham seems relaxed, and the new owners are (like Fonterra), global food companies that would be unlikely to meddle with the Tip Top brand’s glowing reputation, and Colenso’s prize-winning creative work that keeps it at the top.
There’s been no word yet from Vodafone’s NZ agency DDB – but early news reports showed Vodafone ceo Jason Paris and Infratil ceo Marko Bogoievski in a collaborative frame of mind.
Bogoievski said Vodafone NZ will retain its current branding, which gives DDB a head start – but it seems likely the agency will need to deal with a rebrand at some time in the not-too-distant future as the new owners mark out their own turf.
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