World Markets emerged victorious in two recent pitches. UM Ukraine won the media account for the website Slando while UM Poland successfully defended their long-standing relationship with Media-Saturn.

Slando, a leading website that runs free classified advertisements in Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, has tapped UM to launch a new, extensive media campaign. The company aims to improve communications strategies, solidify a top position in the free announcement category, and most importantly, attract a vast, new audience. UM pitched an all-encompassing plan that caught the eye of this already-booming enterprise, offering Slando a comprehensive, fully integrated media presence.

“The UM team demonstrated deep expertise and understanding of each channel of communication and their impact on our business results,” said Catherine Zamurenko, Marketing Director, Slando. “We were very impressed with the agency’s approach.”

UM Ukraine CEO, Victor Sherstuk, said of the acquisition, “We are very pleased to win. For us, it is an opportunity to bring our extensive experience in strategic planning and buying into the brand promotion of our new client. After all, this category is very dynamic and has a great future in Ukraine.”

Ranked one of the 10 most popular websites in Ukraine, Slando is owned by worldwide giant Naspers Classifieds, which specializes in internet, Pay TV, and print media solutions. The site publishes a new ad, on average, every two seconds, serving 7.2 million ads per month. 

In Poland, UM successfully defended its retail owner, Media-Saturn Group, following a four-way pitch. The Ingolstadt-based enterprise bundles consumer electronics brands, including Redcoon, Media Markt, and Saturn.

Media-Saturn, Europe’s number one consumer electronics chain, operates 950 stores across 17 nations. UM has handled their media planning, buying and strategy duties since 2002, specifically focusing on effective television placement and forward-thinking plans.

“UM has consistently offered us a competitive rate structure and support for optimal selection of media,” said Dariusz Juszkiewicz, Head of Media Planning, Media-Saturn Holding Poland. “They have played an important role in the development of our media presence as our experience, trust, and business relationships have developed over nearly 12 years of cooperation.”

Media-Saturn is majority-owned by German retailer Metro and is the second largest consumer electronics retailer in the world behind American retailer Best Buy.

Congratulations to both Ukraine and Poland on their success!