BLKJ wins second account in a week – with Pizza Hut and Great Eastern now on the books
Growing Singaporean creative shop BLKJ has been appointed as agency-of-record for Pizza Hut Singapore in order to better connect the brand with millennials, the agency’s second account win in the Lion City in two days.
Yesterday it was revealed that the firm – led by Joji Jacob, Rowena Bhagchandani, Khalid Osman and Lester Lee – had also won the prestigious Great Eastern account.
Among the other brands on the agency’s client list are StarHub, Scoot, the Singapore Tourism Board and Go-Jek.
The shop formed at the end of 2016 when four long-time senior DDB executives – Bhagchandani, Jacob, Osman and Lee – formed their own entity under DDB’s roof.
In 2017, they took their own space for more than 40 staff in Mountbatten Road.
Pizza Hut said BLKJ would help it connect with “young adults while maintaining its strong heritage among families”. The account will include content creation, creative designs and art direction.
“We were bowled over by the boldness of their ideas, their appreciation for the brand challenges and spot on solutions to win the hearts of the millennials,” said Pizza Hut Singapore director of marketing and food innovation Joyce Tan.
“Most of all, it was a meeting of minds and we believe this is fundamental to any successful partnership. We launched the ‘Your Slice of Simple’ campaign last year and believe that BLKJ is a strong partner to help reinforce and cement this positioning for our brand.”
The win came following a three-way pitch and the previous incumbent agency was Ogilvy. Mumbrella was told that the contract is for one year.
BLKJ founder Bhagchadani said: “Firstly it’s a great brand with the potential for creating groundbreaking work. Pizza Hut’s positioning of ‘Your Slice of Simple’ is a great place to start from.
“Secondly, from the word go the chemistry between the two parties was great. Both of us want to make Pizza Hut more successful than it’s ever been before.”
Pizza Hut Singapore has 77 outlets across the island and 1,000 delivery riders.
Kids, I hear it’s turning into a [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] shop. Beware!
ReplyI say good for them, you have to work really hard to turn in such results, and probably undercut like crazy. Added bonus is sticking it to the big lumbering agencies. Great news.
ReplyPhew, thank you so much for saying “young adults” and not that overused word everyone uses while talking about young adults.
ReplyIs [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] still working at DDB? What’s going on over there? Time for some [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] . BLK J is smoking the entire industry from the sound of it. DDB promoted the wrong people boy.
ReplyGood to know and hear that independent agencies are doing well and growing ahead from the big boys.
Advertisers want fast and dedicated solutions which seems to be an Achilles heal for the big global networks. Independent agencies have the flexibility in not so ambitious target setting and ensuring that the sustainability is more prevalent than short term profits that global agencies look out for.
Met a friend from a leading global ad agency in the region. He too admits that they are losing market share to independent agencies. When probed further, his response was ‘greed to make short term profits leads to bosses trying to make quick money via non transparent and unethical means, divesting away from the evolution and investment of their products/services and above all sheer politics to survive in the network that destroys the motivation and spirit of the talent force. I was not surprised at all.
My best wishes to BLKJ for a great future ahead!
ReplyWhen is wpp going to wake up and realise Seifert’s One Ogilvy strategy is a total [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]?
ReplyI came here to read the comments but all I got was [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplyAgencies like this do well in the beginning. They charge less, promise a lot and turn things around fast. To do this, they really drive the staff hard. It works for a while, but then the grumbling starts and it becomes unsustainable. Staff start wondering why they’re doing all the work but not getting the reward that those at the top are, while leading a 9-6 schedule as others burn the mid nite oil. Thats when they start looking to sell. The work Ive seen so far has been [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. Will it change? I hope so.
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