MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For the first time in its 30-year history, AutoZone has hired an ad agency to assist the auto parts retailer with television, radio and interactive media promotions. Chicago-based Sponge has been named Agency of Record for AutoZone. In addition to developing advertising for AutoZone’s 4,000-plus stores around the country, Sponge will also handle the company’s Duralast brand.
"We interviewed and evaluated some of the top agencies in the country," said Lisa Kranc, AutoZone’s senior vice president of marketing. Sponge’s team really stood out for their understanding of our brand, our customers and our AutoZoners.
Paul Brourman, a veteran of agency stalwart DDB, founded Sponge in January 2007 with the philosophy that the current marketplace required a more nimble agency.
"For us, this is a validation of our model, which is designed to be more adaptive to the changing needs of brands in real-time, said Brourman. “Sponge is about customization. We don’t just draft who’s available, we hand-pick a team who can service the business over the long haul. With that experience and chemistry, we are able to confidently challenge conventional thinking and bring ground-breaking ideas to market."
