A taste for brand elevation: Connect wins Spur portfolio

Local media agency Connect, an M&C Saatchi Group SA company, has been appointed as the company of choice to run point on the brand management of Spur Corp brands. 

These include Spur Steak Ranches, RocoMamas, Panarottis and John Dory’s.

Connect is an established media agency that delivers creative media strategies aligned to the client’s needs and solutions that elevate their brand presence in the minds of SA consumers. 

“Winning a portfolio of brands that are loved and hold much heritage in the SA market is exciting. An authentic connection was made with the Spur marketing team, and the agency cannot wait to get to work,” says Martin MacGregor, M&C Saatchi Group SA’s media partner.

The media team behind the pitch looks forward to implementing an innovative approach that includes showing up in interesting spaces, while using a bespoke media stack that reaches existing and new audiences.

“Each brand has a distinctive personality and customer segment. Connect is looking forward to exploring strategic ways to bring these brands to spaces where their customers play, and vice versa,” says Marvin Kgasoane, MD of Connect Johannesburg. 

The diverse personalities of the brands in the Spur Corp portfolio present a creative challenge for the Connect team.

Tasked to do more than simple media buying and placement, the agency will be presented with the opportunity to devise holistic strategies that speak to the individual objectives of each brand, as well as the diverse audiences who have built loyalty to their favourite restaurants. 

“Not one of the Spur Corp’s brands will have the same media strategy. This is an opportunity to showcase the unique approach to the client’s needs, using available data signal to create tailored media stacks for each brand that amplify them in their different demographic markets,” says Rita Nel, partner at Connect. 

Spur Corp operates a franchise-based business model with individual restaurants owned and managed by independent, entrepreneurial franchisees who trade through 600 outlets across SA, the rest of Africa and Mauritius.

Its restaurants provide a warm, family-friendly environment with a social atmosphere that allows customers of all ages to relax and enjoy their generous, value-for-money portions of tasty food.

“When making the decision to choose Connect as the media agency partner, Spur reflected on its vision of passionate people growing great brands. The franchise wanted to ensure its partnered agency was the best during these challenging times. Connect has more than the right amount of passion, coupled with the strategic expertise and innovative tools to identify engagement opportunities in the right places to reach diverse markets in SA and allow Spur to sustainably grow its iconic brands.”

The Spur Corp win for Connect adds another client to its growing client base, having recently added Astron and Lancewood. It reinforces its position as the fastest-growing independent media agency in the country. Other clients include Takealot, Mr D, Hollard, RCL Foods and Lexus.

This article was paid for by M&C Saatchi Abel.