> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.promptthemarket.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Independents win every August media account as BMF and H+C double up - URL: https://www.promptthemarket.com/independents-win-every-august-media-account-as-bmf-and-h-c-double-up/ - Published: 2026-09-11T16:02:44.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T03:28:51.000Z - Description: August's new business results landed with a pattern worth paying attention to. Every media account that moved in August went to an independent agency, and no holding-group media shop appears anywhere on the winner's list. - Author: Editor News - Tags: Agencies, #author-james-dore, #by James Dore ![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg) By **James Dore** ยท 2026-09-11 TLDR BMF and Howatson+Company each won two accounts between late July and late August, while every media mandate that moved in August went to an independent agency. No holding-group media shop appears on the winner's list, six weeks before Australia's October upfronts. KEY TAKEAWAYS 01BMF won Superloop on 20 August and Ring on 25 August, making it the month's busiest creative agency. 02Howatson+Company took TikTok APAC creative on 28 July and Dulux on 4 August for two consecutive wins. 03Speed won Colonial First State's media account after the incumbent Howatson+Company declined to pitch. 04Avenue C and Today The Brave each won legal-sector mandates, with clients citing transparency and integration. 05Saatchi & Saatchi was appointed to Australian Retirement Trust's creative account on 4 September. ## Four accounts, two shops, five weeks August's new business results landed with a pattern worth paying attention to. Every media account that moved in August went to an independent agency, and no holding-group media shop appears anywhere on the winner's list.\[7\] That sweep comes six weeks before Australia's broadcast and digital upfronts, when media owners and agencies negotiate rates and commitments for the year ahead. On the creative side, two independents did the most work. BMF was appointed lead creative agency for Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed challenger telco Superloop on 20 August, replacing incumbent Leo Australia following a competitive pitch.\[3\] Five days later, BMF also picked up Ring, the Amazon-owned smart home security brand, to develop a new brand platform for the Australian market.\[4\] Howatson+Company moved just as fast. The shop was named creative agency of record for Dulux Australia on 4 August, expanding its remit across the DuluxGroup portfolio.\[2\] That followed its appointment to TikTok's creative account for Asia-Pacific on 28 July, with the work to run out of Singapore.\[1\] Four accounts across two independents in five weeks. ## The media side: incumbents stepping back Speed won Colonial First State's media account after the incumbent, Howatson+Company, declined to participate in the pitch.\[7\] An incumbent walking away from its own defence is unusual. Speed got a clean run and a name-brand financial services client without a contest. Avenue C was confirmed as media partner to Maurice Blackburn on 4 August, covering strategy, planning and activation across all paid media channels.\[6\] Today The Brave took a full-service creative and media mandate from Law Partners, Australia's largest specialist personal injury firm, on 9 August.\[5\] Two legal clients, two indie shops, same month. ## What clients said The language clients used keeps repeating in ways worth tracking. Superloop's chief marketing officer Ben Colman said BMF demonstrated strong understanding of the Superloop business and category challenge, with strategic and creative rigour combined with dedication to effectiveness.\[3\] Maurice Blackburn's general manager of marketing Stephen McKeown said Avenue C's honesty, transparency and integrity are matched only by the strategic firepower of their senior team.\[6\] Law Partners chief growth officer Jane Merrick said Today The Brave brought together strategic thinking, creative excellence and media expertise in a way that felt genuinely integrated.\[5\] Antoinette Tyrrell, marketing director at DuluxGroup, said she looked forward to seeing Howatson+Company raise the bar even higher after watching their work across the group's flagship brands.\[2\] Transparency, integration, effectiveness: the same three ideas across four different clients. ## Saatchi & Saatchi rounds out the month The last significant announcement arrived on 4 September. Australian Retirement Trust appointed Saatchi & Saatchi to its creative account following a competitive tender, with the brief to evolve its "Awaken Your Super" platform.\[8\] Chief member experience officer Simonne Burnett said Saatchi & Saatchi demonstrated a deep understanding of our members, along with the strategic rigour and creativity needed to help shape the next phase of our campaign.\[8\] Saatchi & Saatchi is part of Publicis Groupe, making it the only holding-group shop to appear in the month's creative wins. On the media side, independents held a clean sweep. Procurement teams watching account momentum ahead of October's upfronts will find the August tally useful reading. SOURCES & CITATIONS 1. [Howatson+Company wins TikTok APAC creative](https://lbbonline.com/news/howatson-company-wins-tiktok-apac-creative?ref=promptthemarket.com) 2. [Dulux Australia appoints Howatson+Company as creative agency of record](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/dulux-australia-appoints-howatson-company-as-creative-agency-of-record?ref=promptthemarket.com) 3. [Superloop appoints BMF as lead creative agency for ANZ](https://www.marketing-interactive.com/superloop-appoints-bmf-as-lead-creative-agency-for-anz?ref=promptthemarket.com) 4. [BMF wins Ring creative account](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/bmf-wins-ring-creative-account?ref=promptthemarket.com) 5. [Law Partners appoints Today The Brave](https://lbbonline.com/news/law-partners-appoints-today-the-brave?ref=promptthemarket.com) 6. [Avenue C appointed Maurice Blackburn's media partner](https://www.bandt.com.au/the-verdict-is-in-avenue-c-appointed-law-firm-maurice-blackburns-media-partner/?ref=promptthemarket.com) 7. [August's new biz winners: double wins for BMF, H+C; indie media agencies take all spots](https://www.bandt.com.au/augusts-new-biz-winners-double-wins-for-bmf-hc-indie-media-agencies-take-all-spots/?ref=promptthemarket.com) 8. [Australian Retirement Trust appoints Saatchi & Saatchi](https://www.australianretirementtrust.com.au/media-releases/art-taps-saatchi-saatchi-to-drive-next-phase-of-brand-growth?ref=promptthemarket.com) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Which agencies won the most new business in August 2026? BMF and Howatson+Company each won two accounts. BMF picked up Superloop and Ring; Howatson+Company won Dulux and TikTok APAC creative, with the TikTok win confirmed on 28 July. Why did Speed win Colonial First State without a competitive pitch? The incumbent agency, Howatson+Company, declined to participate in the pitch process, leaving Speed to win the Colonial First State media account without a direct contest from the defending shop. Why does it matter that independents won all the media accounts? Australia's broadcast and digital upfronts begin in October, when media owners and agencies negotiate rates and forward commitments. Agencies winning accounts in August enter those negotiations with fresh client momentum, which strengthens their buying position. ![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg) [James Dore](https://www.promptthemarket.com/james-dore/) James Dore is founder and editor of Prompt the Market and Strategy Director at Bushnote, a Sydney strategy, SEO and AI search agency. He has a background in strategy, media and financial services, and led consumer product marketing at MONEYME. He writes on AI search, answer engines, technology policy and media economics.