AA appoints M&C Saatchi to its £10m ad business

The Automobile Association (AA) is to drop its “4th Emergency Service” brand positioning, following its appointment of M&C Saatchi to handle its &£10m advertising business.

The pitch, overseen by the Haystack Group, was between Ogilvy & Mather, Lowe Lintas, TWBA/London and M&C Saatchi. The incumbent, HHCL & Partners, declined to repitch.

At the same time, ehsbrann and Rapier have been appointed to handle customer relationship management and direct mail for the company.

The pitch was managed by AA Road Service marketing director Clare Salmon, who says: “This is the first time the AA account has been consolidated into one pitch and it recognises the size and diversity of the AA advertising task in the future.”

HHCL had held the business since 1993, and positioned the brand with the advertising strapline: “To our members we’re the 4th emergency service.”

The business was put out to pitch after the agency and the AA failed to agree on a future advertising strategy. The AA is keen to move its brand away from just being perceived as a breakdown service. The company, which is owned by Centrica, wants an advertising campaign to drive all of its motoring services, including insurance and driving school.

An advertising campaign, created by M&C Saatchi, will break in the first quarter of 2002.