It took a week, but Red Lobster has finally made a decision and the Darden-owned seafood chain has chosen Grey New York over Saatchi & Saatchi as its AOR. According to the Grey camp, there was a staff meeting this morning to confirm the news. Estimated billings for Red Lobster are said to be in excess of $115 million.
Grey, though, is no stranger to Darden as it’s served as the holding company’s AOR for Olive Garden since 1987 and LongHorn Steakhouse since 2008. In a statement, Red Lobster’s EVP, marketing Salli Setta says, “Grey demonstrated superb creativity, strategic thinking, integrated capabilities and a deep understanding of the casual dining marketplace. We look forward to working with this great team to leverage the growth and success of Red Lobster in the years ahead.”
More: “Red Lobster Visited Grey, Saatchi Today…and Still No Answer”