Several advertising agencies go into the festive break with an air of uncertainty hanging over their 2017 bottom line.After an eight-month process, MTN has effectively put its search for new agency partners on hold, while Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has confirmed that it is re-evaluating its entire agency roster.Before the MTN process was put on hold, the three big multinational groups — Omnicom, Publicis and WPP — were all in the running. Participating agencies are expressing frustration over the lack of progress, which, they say, is impeding their ability to forward plan.But MTN is adamant that the process is still on track."Commercials are being negotiated in line with MTN’s procurement process, to identify the best fit-for-purpose integrated agency, in keeping with the areas of evaluation," it says in a statement.The network provider says all existing agency contracts have been extended, and it is business as usual.The incumbent WPP-aligned MetropolitanRepublic agency appear...
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