RAC kicks off £10m media agency talks

By Maisie McCabe, campaignlive.co.uk, Thursday, 24 January 2013 07:00AM

RAC, the breakdown service, has met with media agencies ahead of a possible pitch for its £10 million planning and buying duties, currently handled by ZenithOptimedia.

RAC: media duties currently handled by ZenithOptimedia

The company is believed to have held meetings with a number of agencies this week, although sources suggested that RAC representatives were unclear about when a formal process would begin.

ZenithOptimedia won the RAC business as part of the global account for Aviva, the insurance giant, in January 2010. Aviva sold RAC to the private-equity company The Carlyle Group in June 2011.

RAC appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty to its advertising account in August last year after a protracted pitch involving the incumbent, Rapier, as well as Grey, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R and Saatchi & Saatchi.

The advertising pitch was initially procurement-led and formed part of a wider review of suppliers called by The Carlyle Group, but it was subsequently handled by the brand’s then incoming chief marketing officer, John Orriss, in May 2012.

Rapier had worked on the RAC digital and direct marketing business since May 2011 and the advertising account since July 2011.

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk