New agency takes Checkers account

The Checkers brand currently enjoys a significant retail market share in the country and has an annual above-the-line ad spend of R200 million. While the brand has made significant strides in gaining acceptance amongst more affluent shoppers since its repositioning, management were looking for a communication partner to guide Checkers into a new era.

Four agencies were invited to share their strategic and creative insights on the brand last month, with NINETY9CENTS selected as the agency of choice as it offers a wealth of retail experience. The newly formed agency represents the collaboration between ex-creative director of BBDO Cape Town, Andrew Brand, and founding partner of Berry Bush, Lewin de Villiers. Together, they have over 25 years of retail advertising experience.

“We believe we had a strategy that was challenging yet practical, and deliberately put the emphasis on what we know the brand can deliver. Our collective understanding of the Checkers business gave us the opportunity to deliver a strategy that is true to the Checkers offer,” says Brand, who has 13 years' experience in FMCG and retail advertising on a wide spectrum of brands.

“I believe we demonstrated our creative and strategic thinking ability and remained faithful to the basics of classic retail delivery,” comments De Villiers, who has over 30 years of extensive involvement in a broad spectrum of business from petrol, retail, financial, consumer goods to hospitality.

NINETY9CENTS will officially take over the account on 1 September 2008. In the meantime, Brand and de Villiers are intent on getting down to the business of great retail advertising and attracting the best Cape Town talent to compliment the agency.

The Checkers advertising account had been with Berry Bush/BBDO Cape Town since 1992. According to Schreuder, the agreement had not been set on a fixed term.