RAC splits media account between Mindshare and Unique

By Maisie McCabe, campaignlive.co.uk, Tuesday, 05 March 2013 11:35AM

RAC, the breakdown service, has appointed Mindshare and the digital media specialist Unique to handle its estimated £10m planning and buying duties, ending its relationship with ZenithOptimedia.

RAC: has appointed both Mindshare and Unique to handle its media business

It is understood Mindshare has won the £5m above-the-line planning and buying business, while Unique will handle RAC’s digital media, including SEO and pay-per-click (PPC).

According to Nielsen, RAC spent £4.8m in the 12 months to the end of September 2012. It is estimated that the organisation spends another £5m on digital.

The review process kicked off in January and, after holding prospective meetings with a number of agencies, RAC moved quickly into formal stages. The pitches took place last week.

It is understood that a range of agencies took part in the process, including OMD UK, as well as the digital agency Agenda21.

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

A spokesman for ZenithOptimedia declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Unique confirmed its appointment, while spokespeople for RAC and Mindshare had not responded to requests for comment by time of publication.

Bartle Bogle Hegarty picked up RAC’s ad account in August 2012 after a protracted pitch involving the incumbent, Rapier, as well as Grey, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R and Saatchi & Saatchi.

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