NEW BUSINESS

Financial brands choose independent agency after long pitch process

By our News Team | 2021

TMI Media adds giant Sanlam and Santam brands to its client portfolio after a five-month pitch process involving multiple agencies.

TMI Media, a member of the Matrix Communications Group, has been awarded the prestigious traditional media business for Sanlam and Santam, two major South African-based financial services groups with operations in various parts of Africa.

The win comes after a hotly contested five-month pitch process and the appointment is effective from 1 February 2022.

TMI Media is an independently owned agency and has garnered a number of industry awards in recent years. In 2020, it the retained the Woolworths retail and supermarket chain’s traditional media account, and this year signed up part of the healthcare company Adcock Ingrams’ business.

“We are delighted for the opportunity to work on two fantastic brands, and more importantly with good people who are passionate about their business. We are looking forward to partnering and delivering change on Sanlam and Santam,” said Quinton Jones, Managing Director of TMI Media (right in photograph).

Image courtesy of TMI Media

Virtual pitching is a daunting process

Added Kgaugelo Maphai, Chairman of the Matrix Communications Group (left in photograph): “Pitching is always a daunting experience, especially now, where you’re likely to present to a group of panelists virtually.

“When we launched the Matrix Group, it was critical that we invest and partner with some of the best local agencies in line with our strategy of building a leading pan-African integrated communications group. In TMI Media, we have an agency that is award-winning and has continuously punched above its weight.”

Explained Maphai: “We didn’t pitch like a typical media agency. Instead, we used the Matrix Group’s integrated approach to showcase our capabilities, local insights and bespoke tools from our other agencies to demonstrate our understanding of the local consumer landscape in this evolving world we now live in.”

Mokaedi Dilotsotlhe, Group Executive of Brand at Santam, said all of the pitches were of a high standard and thanked the participating agencies for their professionalism.

“It was a tight race, but what swayed the panel towards TMI Media was their somewhat provocative and unconventional thinking, the depth of experience in the team, their deep focus on metrics and the fact that they demonstrated they were not only in touch with current trends, but were gearing for a future demanding more innovation and digitisation.”

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