DDB boss John Zeigler: no job losses expected in Asia after losing Tourism Australia
The regional boss of DDB has said that it is unlikely that jobs will be lost after the ad agency parted ways with the global Tourism Australia business.
DDB lost the account to BBDO, it was announced yesterday.
“Tourism Australia, as a business was relatively small at a local market level, and we don’t expect this will have any impact on our agencies in Asia,” John Zeigler, chairman and CEO of DDB Group Asia Pacific, India and Japan told Mumbrella in a statement.
He added that there would probably be no redundancies in Australia either.
Zeigler said he was “heartened” that TA was sticking with the brand platform DDB had created – ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’ – despite handing the account to Clemenger BBDO.
“Having built the brand over the past five years, I am heartened to hear, despite changing agencies, that Tourism Australia has no plans to change the strategic direction and global campaign, ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’,” he said.
John Zeigler
“We held the Tourism Australia account in a number of markets in Asia, and obviously it is sad to see the brand leave DDB.”
“It’s always hard to lose prestigious business. But I know I speak for all DDBers when we say it’s a piece of business we love and have been proud to work on,” he said.
Zeigler was formerly the head of DDB’s Melbourne office before moving to Asia in 1996 to lead the Southeast Asian operation. He was promoted to his current role nine years ago.
He is to take part in a discussion on the major issues facing agencies and clients in Asia Pacific at the Mumbrella 360 conference in Sydney next month.
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