AAR handles 1m Nando’s review

High street restaurant chain Nando’s is reviewing its £1m advertising business through the AAR.

It is understood that in-cumbent Hooper Galton will repitch for the business. The review follows the departure of marketing director Louise Agran, leaving marketing manager David Manley in charge of all marketing and advertising activities.

The brief is thought to look at repositioning the restaurant chain away from its image as a fast-food operator to being a neighbourhood restaurant.

The pitch also follows the appointment of Love, the Manchester-based advertising agency to develop a campaign for its retail range of branded sauces, marinades and dips. The agency won the business in September last year following a three-way pitch against Dinosaur and BDH/TBWA.

Nando’s, famous for its chicken dishes and spicy peri peri sauce, appointed Hooper Galton to the business three years ago, initially to work on a project (MW March 10, 2005). It picked the business from Fallon, where the account went dormant. Hooper Galton has worked across both the food retail and restaurant strands of the business. Previously, Nando’s had not advertised regularly and used agencies on an ad hoc basis.

The first work from Hooper Galton broke in 2006. It celebrated the irreverent nature of the Portuguese in contrast to the more reserved nature of the British.

The chain’s media planning agency EdwardsGroom-Saunders and buying agency Mediacom are not affected by the review.