Subway puts US creative and media into agency review

Subway, one of the nation’s largest restaurant chains, is conducting a review for its U.S. creative and paid media businesses, the chain confirmed. “We have issued an RFP for our creative, advertising and paid media business in the U.S. as part of a regular business review,” Subway said in a statement to Ad Age. Dentsu has been the incumbent on the account since late 2017 when the sandwich chain consolidated its account with an integrated team that included Carat for media. Dentsu, which is expected to defend the account, did not provide comment. R3, which is said to be handling the review, could not immediately be reached for comment. Subway spent $336 million on U.S. measured media in 2023 and $227 million through the first three quarters of 2024, according to MediaRadar. Agency Review Tracker Stay up to date with the latest account reviews Click here With Dentsu, Subway continued its long-running approach of using big-name endorsers that over the years included pro athletes such as Tom Brady, Charles Barkley, Stephen Curry, Megan Rapinoe and Serena Williams. But of late, the Shelton, Connecticut-based brand has been focusing on discounting in its marketing. An ongoing TV ad, for instance, promotes a “meal of the day” for $6.99. Subway in 2024 completed its sale to affiliates of private equity firm Roark, ending many years of family ownership. When the reported $9 billion deal was first announced in late 2023, the chain’s profitability was being squeezed by spending money to overhaul stores. Subway ranks as the eighth-largest restaurant chain in the U.S., with $10 billion in sales and more than 20,000 units as of 2023, according to the latest ranking from Nation’s Restaurant News. In November, the chain announced that Global CEO John Chidsey would leave the company at the end of 2024. Carrie Walsh, Subway’s president of Europe, Middle East and Africa and former global chief marketing officer, has assumed the role of interim CEO while the brand searches for a permanent successor.

Subway puts US creative and media into agency review

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