US tech giant HP has retained British agency PHD to oversee its global media strategy, planning and buying following a competitive review process according to Campaign US.
The Omnicom-owned outfit has now held the HP account since 2009, coming out on top after a three-month pitch process in which a range of leading media agencies and specialist firms participated.
Having initially secured HP’s traditional media buying account in 2009, it gained control of the Silicon Valley-based firm’s entire global media business in 2017 after poaching its digital media buying account from Essence.
Speaking to Campaign US, HP global head of media, Freddie Liversidge said that PHD “delivers the talent, tools and technology that will drive better outcomes for HP, while also enabling the flexibility to wrap around and support our in-house team.”
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He added: “This partnership combines the best aspects of the agency world with the closeness and transparency of an in-house team to advance the business goals of both the brand and the wider business.”
HP has said that it chose to remain with PHD owing to the agency’s extensive global reach, its strategy and planning capabilities and its focus on transparency and accountability.
“Over the course of a relationship that began in 2009, HP and PHD have been partners in navigating disruption.Having concluded an extensive competitive review with the decision to continue that partnership, HP has given us the best possible vote of confidence as the preferred agency for their ongoing transformation,” PHD Worldwide CEO, Guy Marks said.
“Our collaboration will continue to evolve, as we bring the connected intelligence of the global PHD network, supported by the scale and infrastructure of Omnicom Media Group, to augment HP’s in-house team, delivering future-ready marketing strategies that translate marketplace challenges into business growth.”
