Du appoints new creative agency after 12 years with Leo Burnett

UAE telco du has been conducting its agency review since last year.

The media agency review concluded at the end of last year with Omnicom’s Hearts & Science winning the pitch. The account was previously held by Publicis Media’s Starcom, which won the account in 2014.

Now, industry sources report, the account is no longer with Leo Burnett – du’s creative agency since the brand’s launch. It has instead been given to TBWA/RAAD.

Both du and TBWA/RAAD declined to comment.

UPDATE:

du has issued a statement confirming the win. Abdulwahed Juma, executive vice-president of Brand & Corporate Communications at du, said in the statement, “We are in the midst of an organizational transformation that has challenged us to try new business methods and refresh our strategic approach as a brand. We were thoroughly impressed by the creativity and high calibre of work from all invited agencies. Ultimately, we found that the creative strengths and data-driven approach of TBWA\RAAD are best suited for our communications needs and will help us meet the challenges of our new innovation-led environment.” “We would like to extend our warmest gratitude to Leo Burnett, whose creative team has been integral in our success during our unprecedented 13-year partnership and has helped us grow into the $2 billion company we are today,” he added.

“For the past few years, we have worked to transform ourselves into the agency of the future, and are delighted by du’s endorsement of our innovative approach,” said Reda Raad, CEO of TBWA\RAAD. “We believe that du is the leading force behind the digital revolution, and we look forward to working together. We aim to reflect the innovation and creativity of the brand during this decisive transitional time in the telecoms industry.”