MICROSOFT ADDS Y&R TO ROSTER

Microsoft New Zealand today announced the appointment of Y&R as its relationship marketing agency of record. Y&R will manage the company’s direct marketing services as well as have responsibilities for Microsoft’s interactive advertising and media placements in New Zealand.
The appointment, effective November 1, 2007, follows a thorough review of Microsoft’s agency arrangements and the company’s need to integrate its traditional and online marketing with its communication strategies more effectively.
Microsoft New Zealand’s Marketing Director, Brent Colbert, said the agencies participating in the review demonstrated world-class calibre in their thinking and that the evolution of Microsoft’s customer and partner communication needs formed the critical aspect of the consideration.
“We are pleased to welcome Y&R as our relationship marketing agency partner,” said Mr Colbert. “Their ability to apply brand experiences and communication strategies creatively, and inject new insights into how relationship marketing can act as a catalyst for connecting with customers online and through traditional mediums, proved to be the decisive factors.”
Jon Ramage, CEO, Y&R said the addition of the Microsoft brand to its portfolio would add impetus to the agency’s growth in New Zealand.
“Microsoft is a brand that naturally a lot of agencies would be keen to have in their stable,” said Mr Ramage. “Relationship marketing in both digital and non-digital forms is an exciting discipline, but for most agencies the true potential of the interactive world for relationship marketers has still to be realised. Through our Wunderman brand, Y&R already has a strong foundation which we are confident will be further enriched by working closely with a technology leader like Microsoft.”
Microsoft’s incumbent marketing agency, Republik Communications, will continue to service the Xbox®, Microsoft hardware and entertainment account. Republik will manage existing briefs for other Microsoft business groups until December 30, 2007.
“Republik’s understanding of our consumer business has been a cornerstone for our brand-building efforts with Xbox, entertainment and our hardware devices,” said Mr Colbert. “While our business needs has necessitated some agency changes, Republik has driven unprecedented levels of success for Microsoft across a number of our product and service offerings. Republik has a talented team and we appreciate being able to retain their skills and passion for our games and hardware peripherals business.”