AA agencies face £30m DM review
The Automobile Association (AA) is reviewing its below-the-line business worth up to &£30m.
The Centrica-owned company is looking at how the AA’s financial services and roadside divisions, currently held by a roster of agencies, can work more closely together following the announcement last week that they are merging into a single business unit.
Ehs realtime, Proximity London, Black Cat Agency, TDA and Impiric all handle the AA’s direct marketing work.
Direct marketing for Centrica’s other companies, British Gas and Goldfish, are not affected by the review.
The AA’s direct marketing work also includes response-based press ads and direct response television The company is keen to see how its direct marketing and above-the-line activities can work together.
The news follows the announcement earlier this month that the AA is reviewing its &£10m advertising business held by HHCL & Partners, which has declined to pitch (MW September 6).
HHCL & Partners has held the account since 1993 and created the strapline: “To our members we’re the 4th emergency service.” Last week, however, the company announced changes to the structure of the business which will result in British Gas and the AA being split into two distinct units. At the same time, Simon Waugh, group marketing director of Centrica, was promoted to the new role of deputy managing director of British Gas (MW September 13).
