The account win comes after a five-way pitch against Ogilvy & Mather, Grey, McCann and GDAD two months ago, according to Leo Burnett.
As of July 2013, China Mobile claims to be the world's largest mobile operator with more than 740 million users.
Castro Tian, GM of Leo Burnett Beijing, said that the agency is excited not only by the win but by the ‘great opportunity’ to work with China Mobile to change people’s mobile lifestyle.
An industry source close to the account estimated the media spend would be more RMB 100 million (US$16.3 million).
"This partnership with CMCC enables us to stay in the forefront on all the possibilities created by this advancement—richer and more vivid content delivery, more innovative ways to connect and engage, and to wide-scale readiness on mobile commerce," Chan said. "All these knowledge will also benefit the way we offer our thinking to all our other clients."
ZenithOptimedia has been China Mobile's media agency for 10 years.