BBJ takes 5m RAC media brief

BBJ Media Services has won the 5m account for the RAC, the motoring organisation bought by US business services company Cendant for 450m last week.

BBJ competed against BMP Optimum, Western Media and Walker Media to win the business, and will now work alongside the RAC’s newly-appointed creative agency M&C Saatchi. Manning Gottlieb Media withdrew from the pitch list last month.

Nigel Morris, marketing director of BBJ, says: “We won on our planning and strategy.”

Walker Media had been tipped to win the account following the appointment of M&C (MW March 12).

Walker Media was also used on a one-off project last month to buy some advertising for the RAC in time for July’s British Grand Prix.

A RAC spokesman says: “BBJ has been appointed, despite earlier speculation to the contrary. It was thought Walker Media might win because the creative work had gone to M&C, but it was about getting the best person for the job.”

He said the agencies had all been informed about the use of Walker Media for the British Grand Prix work, and that there was “nothing underhand” about it.

The RAC’s motoring side was bought by Cendant, owner of car parking outfit NCP and breakdown service company Green Flag, on Friday. Full RAC members are in line for windfalls of up to 35,000.

BBJ and M&C replace a virtual agency made up of freelance planners and creatives with media buying from the Media Business Group, which was created by the RAC’s former marketing director Jan Smith who resigned last October.