EXCLUSIVE: Super Retail Group is tipped to consolidate its expanded $20 million-plus media account with Mitchell & Partners, following the group's acquisition of Rebel Sport.
The retail company, which owns Super Cheap Auto, purchased sport apparel trader Rebel Group last year for $610 million, from its parent company Ascendia Retail.
Media buying for Rebel Group was previously handled by GroupM’s Maxus, while Aegis Media's Mitchell & Partners has handled Super Retail Group for several years.
Following the acquisition, Super Retail Group kicked off a two-way pitch between both incumbents. Both Maxus and Mitchell & Partners were competing for the expanded Super Retail Group account.
An industry source has suggested that the process was tilted in Mitchell & Partners favour from the beginning - the agency has enjoyed a close relationship with Super Retail Group since 2003, and the group, as the purchasing entity, was unlikely to hand the account over to a new agency, according to Ad News' source.
It is likely that Mitchell & Partners' strong Brisbane presence, where Super Retail Group is based, helped the agency secure the deal.
Super Retail Group’s estimated main media spend in the 12 months to October 2011 was $22.8 million, up from $20.8 million in the previous corresponding period, according to Nielsen.
Meanwhile, Ascendia Retail’s estimated main media spend was $9.1 million, down from $11.3 million in the prior period. The Rebel Group made up a significant portion of this spend.
Super Retail Group was unavailable for comment at the time of writing. Both Mitchell & Partners and Maxus declined to comment.
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