Droga5 back in the driving seat with Renault

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Megane RS 250 Cup Trophee-web.jpgJust a couple of months after CB revealed that Droga5 was being dropped from the coveted Toyota roster in favor of incoming Japanese incumbent Dentsu, the Sydney agency has been awarded the national marketing duties for the Renault business without a pitch.

 

The brand was formally handled by BMF, which relinquished the account just prior to Christmas, soon after the management line-up of Renault was drastically overhauled to see the appointment of Chris Brown as general manager of marketing, and Justin Hocevar as managing director. Both were formerly at BMW’s highly successful MINI brand, as marketing director and managing director, respectively.

Droga5, Sydney ECD Duncan Marshall told CB on the weekend: “The opportunity to work on an iconic brand with as much pedigree and flair as Renault comes along rarely. And there’s no better way to start the year than working on Top Gear’s Car of the Year, the RS250. It should be an exciting ride.”

 

2011 is seen as a breakthrough year for Renault, as it seeks to leverage the presence of a fresh new product line-up, including the globally acclaimed new Megane R.S. 250 Cup Trophee (pictured).

 

Says Brown: “The Renault brand has been in Australia, but we’ve never had this level of senior management commitment behind it, combined with such an impressive product range, dealer investment and marketing budget. We’re here to establish a serious, respected marque. I see Droga5 as a fundamental catalyst behind that change”.

 

Adds David Nobay, Droga5’s creative chairman (pictured above right with Marshall): “It would be too convenient to say that stepping aside from Toyota was serendipity, but I have to admit that the creative and strategic opportunities presented by Chris and the Renault brand far exceed anything offered to us as part of a joint roster on Toyota. Here we have a real chance to genuinely impact the footprint of a brand at every stage in its contact with the consumer. We couldn’t be more excited.”

 

Droga5 starts work with Renault immediately and plan on releasing the first new work on the brand by February this year.