Fast-food chain Sonic has selected independent shop Mother as it agency of record following a review. The agency will handle the account out of its Los Angeles office.
“Mother brought a combination of art and science to Sonic throughout the review process. We look forward to collaborating with their team to create compelling consumer communications to accelerate our business momentum,” Sonic CMO Lori Abou Habib said in a statement. “We met smart and committed agency teams during our search and were impressed with the caliber of thinking, creativity and quality people from all. Our decision came down to the best fit with Mother based on their creative insights into our brand and customers.”
Sonic launched the review in April, ending its eight-year relationship with Goodby, Silverstein & Parters, which did not participate. According to a source close to the review, aside from Mother, Anomaly and CPB participated in the review. Sources close to the review also said that Droga5 participated in an initial meeting with the client but declined to participate in the review process.
At the time the review was announced, sources close to the matter attributed Sonic’s decision to part ways with GS&P to the brand and agency disagreeing about creative evolution of the brand and recent personnel changes in Sonic’s marketing department. Sources confirmed that the long-running “Two Guys” characters would remain an important part of the brand’s advertising.
“We are humbled to be partnering with such an iconic brand and passionate team, whose love for Sonic has been contagious,” Mother U.S. CEO and partner Peter Ravailhe said in a statement. “We believe that both creatively and commercially, Sonic has the potential to redefine the conventions and behaviors of the category, whilst staying true to its core values that makes it one of America’s most loved brands.”
Sonic spent around $185 million on measured marketing last year, down from nearly $204 million the previous year, according to Kantar Media.