The account is estimated to be worth almost $20 million. Atomic 212, based in Sydney, is headed by founder and chairman Barry O’Brien, co-founder and chief digital officer James Dixon, and managing director and partner Claire Fenner.

The media planning and buying account, which includes media for BMW and Mini brands, went to Atomic 212 after a final match for the spoils with Mediabrand’s Initiative.

BMW Group Australia general manager of marketing Tony Sesto told Mumbrella the new agency would begin work on the account on January 1.

“BMW Group brands are constantly evolving, so is the communication landscape and how people consume news and information,” Mr Sesto told Mumbrella.

“It was therefore important to select an agency partner with strong creative media buying credentials to ensure our brands have a more impactful presence in the busy marketplace. The account will include media buying for print, OOH, broadcast and digital.”

Atomic 212 has already had a big year following the addition of health insurance provider Bupa in late 2019, Greater Bank, Spirit of Tasmania, Beyond Blue and Charles Darwin University. It also was reappointed to the $27 million NT Government account.

The BMW account was previously held by Dentsu Aegis Network’s Vizeum. In August, Vizeum announced it would merge into iProspect and that it would not take part in bidding for the BMW account.

Prior to DAN’s Vizeum, the BMW account was with Mitchell & Partners, part of Mitchell Communications Group. DAN bought this group in 2010 and Vizeum worked on the account from 2012, retaining it after a pitch in 2017.

It is not the only recent advertising account move by BMW.

In September, it awarded its European marketing account to a team led by S4 Capital’s MediaMonks who will make up a dedicated shop, called The Engine, to serve BMW and Mini.

BMW said MediaMonks will be “at the heart” of the new business to work on creative and production, alongside German agency Service Plan on technology and data-driven elements, with specialist consultancy Berylls Strategy Advisors on business transformation.

BMW and Mini are believed to have used dozens of agencies across Europe and this move will consolidate those relationships into three main players.

The Engine will work across all 26 European markets in creative, media, data and consulting.

BMW said a key aim was to “eliminate friction” and ensure its marketing becomes more “data-driven and customer-oriented”.

BMW member of the board of management for customer, brands, sales, Pieter Nota, said it was “total integration”.

“Our decision to select The Engine as our new agency constellation for all of Europe clearly dovetails with our claim to provide the best premium customer experience within the automotive industry,” he said.

BMW’s senior vice-president for customer and brand, Jens Thiemer, said: “This system will comprehensively integrate the classic marketing disciplines of strategy, creation and production with all relevant aspects of the customer journey while elevating them to a high-tech level.”

“In practice, this includes all areas of data-driven performance marketing and analytics, marketing automation, programmatic media and CRM support.

“In addition, we are consolidating the management of web operations and ecommerce within our new agency operating system.”

By Neil Dowling