While no deadline for the pitch has been released, insiders say OgilvyOne and TBWA in China plan to participate, and that Publicis, the agency that most recently held the Tencent account, also expects to re-bid for the contract.
The pitch comes as Tencent revamps its image from a primarily youth-oriented site to a more mature all-in-one news location. The company first moved in this direction prior to the Olympics when it signed contracts with outside news sources such as Xinhua News Agency and L’Équipe to enhance its news offerings and capabilities.