Bidvest Bank appoints multinational Havas as lead agency in SA

CAPE TOWN – Bidvest Bank has appointed Havas South Africa as its lead agency in South Africa, handling creative and internal communications, after a four-way pitch process.

Havas SA said it was proud to announce its appointment as lead agency for the niche bank that specialises in foreign exchange and providing retail banking, vehicle financing and insurance.

Havas SA is a multinational advertising and public relations company, headquartered in Paris, France, which operates in more than 100 countries and is one of the largest global advertising and communications groups in the world.

Speaking on the appointment, Havas SA chief executive Lynn Madeley said it was a fantastic win for Havas and a nod to its capability in financial services. 

“We are honoured to be coming on board to service the Bidvest Bank business in South Africa. I believe that our knowhow of the sector, our unique approach to strategy and creative, our truly integrated offering, along with our Vivendi partnership with Universal Music Group and Gameloft, makes us perfect for the job at hand. 

“And with the leadership of John Davenport, we are poised to make a meaningful difference to the Bidvest Bank business,” said Madeley.

Havas SA’s chief creative officer John Davenport said what was incredible about the win was that Bidvest Bank as a business was very much like Havas in behaviour. 

“The brand is a big business, yet it is agile and personable enough when getting things done, always asking if things can be done better. There’s a sense of ownership that we both identify with, and that is key to a successful client-agency partnership. We are looking forward to putting out some stellar work that will no doubt shake up the financial services sector,” said Davenport.

Jodi Raviv, the chief marketing officer at Bidvest Bank said: “We are excited about Havas’s fresh approach to integrated marketing, and look forward to working with them to further build our brand. We are a challenger bank with an agile and unusual approach to banking and problem solving. We believe that with Havas’ similar approach to business, our brand and business will thrive with their guidance and expertise”

Havas will be handling the brand communications, working hand in hand with other specialist Bidvest Bank-appointed agencies to push the Bidvest Bank business forward. 

BUSINESS REPORT