PHD retains Unilever business across Greater China region

PHD has retained the Unilever media planning and buying business across Greater China, Campaign Asia-Pacific has learned.

In a competitive pitch against WPP that has been running since the start of 2018, industry sources said the client became focused on digital capabilities in the later stages of the six-month pitch. The remit includes China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

PHD already won the account in 2009, when the spend was reported at US$450 million then. Unilever has conducted a media review typically every three years, with the last renewal of the media-buying business with PHD taking place in 2015, reportedly without a pitch. The renewed account is now understood to be worth US$500 million.

Unilever's global comms-planning account was moved from PHD to Mindshare last year. In Greater China, PHD still does the planning.

Unilever did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.