Omar Oakes
Jan 28, 2021

VW appoints agency after lengthy digital pitch

Tribal, the 20-year incumbent, successfully repitched.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles launched the 'Working with you' platform in 2019.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles launched the 'Working with you' platform in 2019.

Omnicom’s Tribal Worldwide has held on to founding client Volkswagen’s international digital marketing account after a competitive pitch.

The account is thought to be worth around £10 million ($13.6 million), according to agency estimates, and has grown over the last year as the Covid-19 pandemic has prompted VW to put more emphasis on digital marketing. 

Tribal Worldwide, part of Omnicom's DDB network, has held the VW digital account since launching in 2000 as a full-service digital shop. 

The pitch, which lasted for about 12 months, was due to conclude last May, but became a protracted affair due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and a change of marketer at Volkswagen. The process was overseen by Marianne Bearton, digital marketing manager for Volkswagen Passenger Cars UK. 

The previous commercial cars marketer Sarah Cox changed job roles last Spring to become head of marketing for Volkswagen Passenger Cars UK. Her replacement, Kate Thompson, was given the newly-created role of head of marketing, press and PR for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK.

A spokesman for Volkswagen UK said: “The contract will mean that Tribal Worldwide will continue to work with both brands on website content and services, as well as Blended Retail digital tools, which combine to mean that Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are as ‘digitally open’ as possible for our customers – especially important in the current, challenging situation.”

VW is also set to reach a conclusion within the next month in its CRM review, in which Omnicom's Rapp (formerly Proximity) is defending the business in a two-way pitch against WPP's Ogilvy.
Source:
Campaign UK

Related Articles

Just Published

7 hours ago

Agency Report Cards 2024: We grade 25 APAC networks

The grades are in for Campaign Asia's 22nd annual evaluation of APAC agency networks. Subscribe to read our detailed analyses.

9 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: Assembly

Assembly successfully pivoted to new sectors like healthcare and achieved B Corp certification. But revenue and operational hurdles must be addressed to solidify its position as a challenger agency.

9 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: TBWA

With bold campaigns, record-breaking new business wins, and a near-perfect client retention rate, the agency proved it could lead from the front. Yet, challenges in China and the pressures of rapid growth loom large—testing whether its ‘disruption’ can stand the test of time.

9 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: Publicis Media

Publicis Media came in swinging in 2024—snagging big-name clients, racking up awards and riding a wave of regional growth. But with rivals regrouping and the AI race tightening, the fight for APAC dominance is far from over.