Save the Children appoints MediaCom North

Save the Children approached us ahead of a review and consolidation of their media planning and buying agencies from four relationships managed by different teams to one agency, managed centrally.  Their agency split was broken down by Brand, Direct Response, Digital and Legacy Marketing and, whilst each team supported the review in theory, there was some concern that no one agency would understand the nuances of the charity world and be able to service their specialist areas as well as the incumbents.

AAR’s approach was to first map the market to ensure that there were credible candidates available to the charity and interested in the opportunity. Once all stakeholders had been reassured, we devised a review programme and built a brief that would answer the needs of the charity as well as making Save the Children an appealing potential partner to an agency.

MediaCom North was appointed in June 2019.

Commenting on the review Rebecca Callaby, Procurement Manager for Save the Children, said:

“Alex [Young, Business Director, AAR] has been so much more than a consultant throughout Save the Children’s media agency procurement. Whilst her market and process knowledge have been second to none, her guidance gave us the necessary tools and advice required to unanimously agree to make the leap to a single agency solution. This step change has delivered enormous benefits – both commercially and to our overarching marketing strategy. We have now signed on the dotted line with our new partner; something we would not have achieved without her. She has gone over and above, and I would encourage you to engage AAR to provide expertise in your upcoming review.”