ASIA-PACIFIC – JAKARTA, INDONESIA, SEPTEMBER 2011: BNI, one of Indonesia’s top four banks, has appointed Spark Communications – a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) – as agency-of-record to spearhead its marketing and media investments in the country.
Following a rigorous pitch process involving several media agencies including Dentsu, Initiative Media, and OMD, BNI handpicked Spark Communications due to its suite of products, systems, and tools, as well as the expertise of the agency’s talent pool that will oversee the bank’s media business.
On appointing Spark Communications, a BNI spokesperson said: “We have selected Spark Communications due to their comprehensive tools for planning and implementation, and the commitment and support shown by a highly reliable and experienced team that will guide us through the competitive media landscape in our market.”
On partnering BNI, Ravi Bhaya of SMG Indonesia added: “As one of the premiere banking institutions in Indonesia, BNI has a long history of success which we are keen to extend. Given the brand’s willingness to challenge and grow in the competitive financial industry and media landscape, we, at Spark Communications, now have a significant responsibility ahead to boost BNI’s competency and investments in the media space. With the right tools and product in place, we believe we are more than up to the task.”
Spark Communications’ appointment by BNI caps a highly-successful period for SMG in Indonesia, following MediaVest’s appointment by food Orang Tua (OT) Group, and more recently, Mars and Wrigley’s consolidation of its media business in Southeast Asia with the agency.
