12 days of Christmas: Top five agency-client breakups of 2010

In December last year, Singapore Navy put its creative account up for review, putting the incumbent of 25 years, Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, on alert. At the time, the account was subject to a compulsory biennial review. It was reported that the winning agency would be appointed for two years, in charge of through-the-line communications for the Navy's recruitment and corporate publicity needs.

In January, Dentsu, Y&R and Saatchi and Saatchi were been shortlisted, down from a reported five agencies initially involved.

Six months later in July, Y&R emerged as the winner, displacing the long-time incumbent Saatchi & Saatchi. Following the win, Y&R chief creative officer for Asia Marcus Rebeschini was quoted as saying that Singaporean agencies have been trying to win the account for 25 years because of the client's high regard for great award-winning creativity.

To add further fuel to the fire, Saatchi & Saatchi lost its Tiger Beer business to the same agency just one month earlier. Saatchis was appointed to the account in 2007 and went on to get dropped in the second round of the review which eventually saw Ogilvy & Mather lose to Y&R in the final stage.

Reported in July, Levi Strauss & Co announced it was parting ways with BBH following a 28-year relationship with the creative agency in Europe and Asia. BBH said it proposed to Levi's that it was time for the two companies to move on, a proposal the iconic denim brand agreed to.

At the time, Nigel Bogel, co-founder and group chairman at BBH, said the two companies were parting on good terms. Levi Strauss & Co president and CEO confirmed the split, saying both teams decided it was the right time to end the partnership.

Back in 1982, BBH London won the business as a founding client. Together the pair produced some of the most iconic denim campaigns, including 'Original jeans', Launderette', 'Creak' and 'Flat Eric'.

In August, BBH rolled out its final global campaign for Levi's, launching a new fit concept called 'Curve ID'.

Also reported in July, Adidas moved its global creative to Sid Lee, displacing the incumbent of 12 years 180 Amsterdam. The Canadian agency won the business without a pitch.

Sid Lee has been in charge of the Adidas Originals account since 2008 following a pitch that also involved 180.

180 has shared the Adidas account with Omnicom-owned TBWA Worldwide since 2002.

On 23 July, Adidas issued a statement confirming Sid Lee will replace 180 Amsterdam's interactive arm Riot as lead digital agency for the brand's Sports Performance division.

From fashion to babies, in May, Johnson & Johnson announced it was pitching the global creative for its baby products account reportedly worth US$20 million. Incumbent Lowe, in charge of the entire baby products range and a few adult brands in some parts of the Asia-Pacific region, has been linked with the brand since 1991 when the account was handled by a sister shop with which it later merged.

A month later in June, JWT, The Martin Agency and Roberts and Langer DDB were shortlisted reportedly in partnership with Ogilvy & Mather, Lowe and BBDO respectively.

Shortly after in August, news came that BBDO had scooped the account following the final pitch held in New York. As source close to the pitch said Asia was an important consideration for the client given the fact that more babies will be born in the region than anywhere else globally.

And finally rounding off the list, Nivea handed its global advertising account to Draft FCB in November, dropping its incumbent of 25 years TBWA.

Draft FCB pitched for the account against the incumbent and Hamburg-based agency Zum Goldenen Hirschen. Following the transfer, the agency will take the lead status in 90 countries across the globe for the business reportedly worth a whopping US$700 million.

TBWA will continue to work with Beiersdorf on its smaller brands in Germany.

Catch the top five ECDs of 2010 and top five promotions of 2010, published last week.

Coming up on 12 Days of Christmas:

• Top five employee/ employer break-ups
• Top five make-ups
• Top five pitches
• Top five viral campaigns
• Top five look-a-likes
• Top five gadgets
• Top five campaigns
• Top five most read articles
• Top five christmas ads