The Auto Club Group, the second-largest AAA club in North America, has selected Digitas as its integrated lead agency. The appointment marks the first time the group has employed a shop since 2016, when it worked with The Richards Group.

The Auto Club planned on hiring an agency last year, but the process was postponed due to the pandemic. The group began looking for an agency over the summer before choosing the Publicis Groupe shop. 

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The timing was right since the Auto Club, which said it has been tracking traveling “literally on a weekly basis,” has begun seeing road trips starting up again amid a rise in positive consumer sentiment toward travel.

Property and casualty insurer

The company, along with its larger parent organization, is also looking to stay relevant for contemporary customers with on-demand digital self-service for members. Digitas proved to have the best experience and track record to engage younger audiences, the company said.

And while it already has a high rate of people engaging with its apps, The Auto Group wants to get the word out that it provides much more than just roadside assistance. Having a new agency on board will allow for the club to get the word out that it is also a property and casualty insurer.

“We do think that this is the right opportunity for us again to get our message out there and become more efficient on how we leverage some of the different marketing channels on an ongoing basis,” said Ernesto Díaz, chief experience officer at the Auto Club Group. “I mean, two years ago who would have thought TikTok would be something to do? It’s good we have a partner that can help us, and we found that Digitas was very qualified to be that partner.”

New audiences

Digitas will oversee media, creative and data management out of its Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta offices, leveraging its offices within the Auto Group's regions, which cover the upper midwest and southeastern U.S. Its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 14 million members across 14 states.

"We're excited to use our media-fueled creative approach to connect AAA—The Auto Club Group—to new audiences, and continue to build on their already-strong foundations of service excellence and membership value," Chris Loeffler, exec VP and global client lead at Digitas said in a statement.

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Díaz says that will be its big push for next year and that “Digitas will be able to help us clarify consistent and appropriate messages for the right audiences.” While no specific campaign launch date has been decided, Díaz said to expect “some of the influence of what Digitas brings to the table to start showing up later in 2022.”