Standard Chartered calls for global integrated agency pitch

Standard Chartered is conducting a global integrated agency pitch, with the request for information (RFI) issued in July, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE understands. The duties would include creative and media, and the pitch is likely to close towards the end of the year.  MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Standard Chartered for further details, including the remit of the review and the markets involved.

The pitch comes as the bank's global agency relationships span media, creative and other marketing disciplines, with dentsu holding its global media remit and Publicis Groupe, led by Leo, appointed to its global creative account in 2022.

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Standard Chartered's agency roster 

On the creative side, Standard Chartered appointed Publicis Groupe, led by Leo, as its global creative agency in 2022 following a competitive review handled by R3.

Publicis was selected ahead of incumbent TBWA\ and BLKJ Havas, with the new contract taking effect in 2023. The mandate covered creative, digital and production services, with the global account led out of Publicis Groupe Singapore.

The appointment marked the end of Standard Chartered's 18-year relationship with TBWA, which had been responsible for a number of the bank's global brand campaigns.

On the media front, dentsu International has held Standard Chartered's global media planning, buying and strategy remit since 2021, when it was appointed following a competitive review. The appointment came with a five-year contract, with the relationship between dentsu and Standard Chartered dating back to 2017.

Dentsu has also worked alongside Standard Chartered and other agency partners on more recent campaigns, including "Possibilities everywhere", a global campaign launched in 2023 that ran across markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, the UAE, Europe, the US and Kenya.

The timing of the latest review comes as that five-year appointment reaches its term in 2026. 

Broader agency roster

Since the 2022 creative review, Standard Chartered has continued to work with a broader roster of agency partners across different campaigns and disciplines.

At the Marketing Excellence Awards Singapore 2025, for example, "Million reasons to be happier" was credited to Accenture Song, Leo Burnett and dentsu.

The campaign was among a number of recent projects involving different agency partners, while Standard Chartered has also worked with Havas Media on media activity in Singapore and W/E + Partners on other marketing initiatives.

The wider roster reflects the range of agencies working with the bank across markets and disciplines, alongside its longer-standing global creative and media relationships.

The latest pitch also comes at a point when its five-year global media appointment with dentsu reaches its term, while its global creative relationship with Publicis enters its fourth year.

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