Manning Gottlieb scoops £12m AA media business
The Automobile Association (AA) has appointed Manning Gottlieb OMD to handle its &£12m media planning and buying business.
Manning Gottlieb takes over the business at the beginning of next year from Zenith Media, which has held the bulk of the AA’s business for four years. Manning Gottlieb, which already holds the AA Car Loans business, pitched against Zenith and Carat.
Over the past six months, the AA has spent &£22m to reposition itself as a multi-product company, in an effort to be seen as more than just a breakdown service (MW May 16).
As part of the relaunch, the company introduced a &£12m campaign in May, using the strapline “Just Ask”. The strapline was a departure from its “fourth emergency service” positioning, and is now carried on all the AA’s communication, including its website and membership cards.
The media review was called at the beginning of August by AA director of marketing and sales Clare Salmon (MW August 8).
The appointment of a new media buying agency follows the Centrica-owned company’s decision to review its creative advertising and appoint M&C Saatchi at the end of last year (MW December 20, 2001).
Salmon says: “We were very impressed with the way Manning Gottlieb responded to the brief and feel it understood the direction and vision the AA wants to pursue.”
