South Australian Tourism Commission awards advertising contract to Victorian company

SA’s advertising businesses have become the “laughing stock” of the national industry after the South Australian Tourism Commission awarded a lucrative contract to an interstate company, a local advertising association says.

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THE state’s advertising businesses have become the “laughing stock” of the national industry after the South Australian Tourism Commission awarded a lucrative promotions contract to an interstate company, a local advertising and design association says.

Tourism Minister David Ridgway has also expressed his disappointment that an SA company has not been given the deal, believed to be worth millions of dollars.

The SATC on Thursday night confirmed it had awarded its advertising contract to Melbourne-based company TBWA, selecting the business from a pool of 35 applicants.

The commission’s current contract with Adelaide-based KWP expires on June 30.

One of the SATC’s images of South Australia: Snelling Beach on Kangaroo Island.

Adelaide Advertising & Design Club has branded the decision to enlist an interstate company an “absolute disgrace”.

“It appears the SATC has concluded only an interstate agency is now capable of such a feat when there are several highly capable, local companies that could have, and should have, been considered for such a lucrative account,” an AADC spokesman said.

“It will be argued the successful agency will now be opening a local office, but renting an office and dropping a couple of people in it is little more than smoke than mirrors.

“The reality is, all the strategic and creative work will be done interstate, and that’s where the profits will go.”

One of the SATC’s images of South Australia: Camping at Rawnsley Park Station.

The spokesman said the contract would be worth millions of dollars and the move would have a “domino effect” on SA’s creative services industry.

“Graphic designers, artists, photographers, videographers, editors, audio engineers, film crews, producers and actors are an example of just how many local jobs will be under threat, while the bank accounts in Melbourne are swollen by the tax dollars collected from these threatened workers, and every South Australian,” he said.

“Adding insult to injury, if losing the revenue and creative opportunity isn’t enough, we’ve now become the laughing stock of the Australian advertising industry.

“Measures must be put in place to protect local jobs and attempt to stem the brain-drain.”

Tourism Minister David Ridgway agreed it was “disappointing”.

“It’s very disappointing that a South Australian company wasn’t successful in being awarded this tender, however the decision has been made by the Commission following a thorough process,” he said.

The SATC issued a statement on Thursday night defending its decision.

“TBWA is part of the Omnicom Group of companies with a worldwide network of media and communication agencies allowing the SATC access to a global creative talent pool,” it read.

“The agency is equipped to meet our creative services needs in our key international and domestic markets.

“The 2020 tourism target of $8bn calls for a fresh perspective and some disruptive strategies which we believe TBWA is best placed to deliver.

“In addition, local Adelaide agencies Blacksheep, Fuller and Showpony were selected as Secondary agencies to take on ad hoc projects and tactical campaigns for the domestic market.”