Astro in the midst of media and creative pitches

Astro Malaysia is currently in the midst of a creative and media agency review, with both remits up for pitch.

The incumbent agencies on the accounts are Naga DDB, WPP Media and Reprise, across the group's portfolio of operating brands, which include Astro, sooka, Njoi, AstroBiz, Astro Fibre and more.

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The pitch process kicked off earlier this year with a round of RFIs (request for information), followed by RFPs (request for proposals) in May. Seven agencies were invited to take part, including Leo Burnett, Accenture Song, Reprise and Naga DDB for the creative AOR, and Starcom, Omnicom Media Group and WPP Media for the media AOR.

Astro's chief sales and marketing officer, Tai Kam Leong told A+M exclusively, that the process has been “meticulous, deliberate and transparent,” from briefing and requirements through to fair timelines and industry guidelines. By late July, agencies had submitted proposals and presented in person to Astro’s technical committees alongside its procurement specialists.

"The motivation was simple. To find partners aligned with the challenges ahead for us across our operating brands in their respective categories," said Tai. "Emphasis was made to not only modernise our approach and to orientate towards results but to really provide fresh perspectives and creative solutions," he added. Cohesive strategies and mutual commitment were also highlighted as key criteria.

While detailed terms remain confidential, Tai said a combination of sustainable retainers and performance-based elements is expected for both creative and media remits, to foster “win-win relationships for all parties.”

The results of the pitches will be announced soon, with Astro stating that no significant change is expected on that front.

The pitch scene in Malaysia has been bustling in recent months. Most recently, A+M learnt that U Mobile called for a closed-door creative pitch, inviting at least four agencies for a retainer appointment. In June, personal care company Wipro Unza Malaysia also launched a creative pitch in search of a new strategic advertising partner for a two-year engagement.

Earlier this year, CelcomDigi awarded its creative remit to M&C Saatchi Malaysia, GrowthOps Asia and Grey Malaysia following a pitch, while RHB appointed IPG Mediabrands’ bespoke unit Azure as its new media partner in March 2025 after a single-round review.

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