AUSTRALIAN listed car retailer Autosports Group has appointed Zenith Australia to manage its media strategy, planning and buying account.

Zenith won the business following a competitive pitch and will manage the account from its Sydney office.

Autosports CMO Melinda Spencer said in an interview with AdNews that it was an exciting step to work with Zenith to drive the business forward.

Autosports, established in 2006, is now Australia’s largest prestige car dealership network with more than 55 retail businesses across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Auckland. 

Unlike peer auto retailers Eagers Automotive and Peter Warren, Autosports only operates in the prestige and luxury segment of the car market.

Its portfolio includes Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ducati, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Rolls-Royce and Volvo.

Melinda Spencer

Ms Spencer said: “After an extensive review of a number of media partners, we felt that Jonny (Cordony) and the team at Zenith are the ones that will be able to really move the dial in terms of performance and will meet the needs of our growing business.”

Zenith Sydney managing director Jonny Cordony said the agency was continuing momentum from 2023 “with the focus on investment, imagination and insight proving a real differentiator in the market.”

“We are humbled and excited to be partnering with Autosports Group to reinvigorate ROI and supercharge their growth in 2024 and beyond,” Mr Cordony said.

The Autosports Group account will be managed out of the Zenith Sydney office from April.

In the auto sector, Zenith held the Honda account until February this year when it decided not to repitch. Zenith had held Honda’s media account since 2001.

The Honda account was won by independent agency Howatson+Co. The aim of the pitch was to combine all of Honda’s products, from vehicles to power products and engines, in one account.