Cirkle won the Pendragon account following a competitive pitch. The new remit includes delivering a PR and social media strategy with selected brands within the portfolio.
Pendragon's brands include Evans Halshaw, Stratstone, Car Store and its software division, Pinewood. It operates 160 sites nationwide and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Cirkle joins Pendragon’s incumbent branding and creative agency, The Maverick Group, and advertising specialist, The Kite Factory, on the client's agency roster.
Kim Costello, chief marketing officer at Pendragon, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Cirkle at this very exciting time for the business. We wanted an agency that could match our ambitions and not only did the team’s forward-thinking mindset and proven track record of delivering innovative and impactful campaigns really impress us, but it also aligned with our long-term business strategy.”
Ruth Kieran, chief executive of Cirkle, said: “We’re looking forward to joining and supporting Pendragon on this exciting new chapter for its business and working collaboratively with its roster of agencies. The automotive retail sector is evolving fast and we know that consumer priorities are shifting, so we’ll be implementing a breadth of tactics and content opportunities to ensure this launch achieves real impact across the nation.”
Last week Pendragon upgraded its full-year pre-tax profit forecast from £55m-£60m to about £70m, citing a "strong" third-quarter performance. The group said shortfalls in new vehicle supply were mitigated by strong gross profit per vehicle in both new and used cars, alongside cost and efficiency savings.
