DDB Sydney Wins TK Maxx’s Creative Account

DDB Sydney has been appointed to the TK Maxx creative account, LBB understands, worth around $500,000.

The account was previously held by independent agency Howatson+Company. The indie won Myer’s consolidated creative and production account from Clemenger and Hogarth, LBB revealed in January.

This win is believed to have posed a conflict for the agency, causing the account to go back to pitch.

H+Co’s scope of work included strategy, creative, and production for the off-price retailer, whose offering spans fashion, homewares, and more.

The brand’s most recent work with Howatson+Company was its 2024 Christmas campaign, which featured a festive rendition of The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Shut Up’.

This followed Howatson+Company’s previous Christmas campaign for the brand, which launched the ‘Abso-TK-lutely’ brand platform, and celebrated the “unsung heroes of Christmas”.

In 2023, Howatson+Co expanded on the platform with a series of excited customers exploding into fits of confetti over the sales found in TK Maxx stores.

Upon appointing Howatson+Co three years ago, VP of Marketing Tony Dunseath said, “Great partnerships are very important to our business, and we are thrilled to be partnering with the team at Howatson+Company as we work to continue to grow our business here in Australia.”

DDB Sydney did not have a comment. TK Maxx has been approached for comment.

TK Maxx launched in Australia in 2017 and now has over 80 stores across New South Wales, the ACT, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia (when it appointed Howatson+Co in 2022, it had 69 stores on the east coast, and two in South Australia).

It took over Trade Secrets stores upon entry into the market, following parent company TJX Companies’ acquisition of Trade Secrets in 2015.