Tip Top takes Shine to Kiwi ad agency

Tip Top has made its pick after a “slugfest” involving three of the most reputable ad agencies operating in New Zealand.

A spokeswoman from Tip Top confirmed that the pitch involving Colenso BBDO, DDB and Shine had come to a conclusion.

“We’re really excited about partnering with Shine and look forward to doing some great work together,” the spokeswoman said.

“Shine encompasses everything we were looking for in an agency partner — superb creative talent and depth, strategic nous, people with great commercial minds and an agency that can also act as a consultant to our management team on a range of initiatives.”

Shine is running through a good patch of form at the moment, having also picked up the Genesis, Z Energy and Tower accounts in recent years.

Shine encompasses everything we were looking for in an agency partner — superb creative talent and depth, strategic nous . . . great commercial minds.

Tip Top spokeswoman

Shine could not be reached for comment, but the independently owned Kiwi agency will no doubt be pleased at having won the account against a pair of New Zealand’s creative powerhouses.

This brings an end to incumbent Colenso BBDO’s long creative partnership with the company.

A regular industry source described the pitch as “a bit of a slugfest”, with all the agencies eager to get their hands on the business.

Spending around $2 million on advertising a year according to Nielsen data, Tip Top isn’t the biggest advertiser around but it’s a prestigious brand in the local context.

The new agency will face an interesting challenge in showing that Tip Top retains its Kiwi identity despite having being sold by Fonterra to the global dairy giant Froneri for $380m.

The ice cream market is highly competitive and there are numerous local and international companies that would love to take a bite out of Tip Top’s market share.