What you need to know:

• The Australian Government has awarded a three-year extension of its master media agency contract, worth $200m in annual billings to UM.
• The extension will see UM continue media duties for the Government up until June 2024.

The Australian Government has awarded a three-year extension of its master media agency contract to UM.

The extension will see UM continue media duties for the Government up until June 2024. The reappointment follows a closed review of the agency's capabilities and performance that Mi3 understands took place over several months.

UM will continue to provide media strategy, planning and buying services to the Australian Government, after initially being awarded the contract in July 2018, when it won the account from Dentsu.

One of the most highly sought-after media accounts in the country, it is believed to have annual billings of over $200m a year.

Last year, government advertising was one of the highest spending categories, with a large focus on driving public health messaging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is a privilege to continue working with the many Government entities covered by the Master Media Agency contract,” said Brett Elliott, general manager of UM Canberra.

“Certainly since the beginning of 2020 there have been complex communications challenges that, from a media perspective, have required creativity and speed-to-market. Our partnership with the Australian Government has been strong and successful.”

This is the second major government contract to be settled this year, following OMD's appointment to the $100m Victorian Government account. Both the account for Tourism Australia and the NSW Government remain open.