CARAT RETAINS CASH CONVERTERS’ NATIONAL ACCOUNT and APPOINTS DICK LAURIE AS STRATEGY DIRECTOR

Carat Perth has retained long-standing client Cash Converters, extending its six-year partnership with the national brand.

Carat will perform all media planning and buying for Cash Converters nationally, and continue to lead a multi-discipline team of Dentsu Aegis Network agencies, including Columbus (search), Amnet (programmatic), Data2Decisions (econometric modelling) and Isobar (service design and user experience) to support Cash Converters through its digital media transformation.

Carat WA Managing Director, Jim Groves said: “We are thrilled to continue our six-year partnership with Cash Converters as they forge ahead with their digital transformation. Cash Converters embarked on an ambitious journey, driven by a sharpened focus on customers, enhancing its digital capabilities and adopting new technology. Our data driven approach to channel and media planning has allowed Cash Converters to acquire more customers at a lower cost of acquisition over a sustained period.”

“As Cash Converters strengthens its position in second-hand retail goods, and expands its offering into personal finance, we look forward to supporting them with media and marketing expertise from across our network, from our shared home base in Perth.”

Cash Converters Chief Marketing Officer, Alice Manners said: “Dentsu Aegis Network’s ability to support our business drive to a single customer view and strong business outcomes has enabled Cash Converters to extend our relationship with confidence.”

Carat’s National Managing Director, Simon James-Williams said: “We are privileged to work with a brand that is innovating so rapidly and embracing all the opportunity the digital economy has to offer. We look forward to continuing our partnership and supporting them through their next phase of innovation and change.”

Adding further strength to its leadership team following the appointment of Marnie McKeown earlier this month as Head of Content Services and Media Integration, Carat Perth has appointed Dick Laurie (pictured) to the role of Strategy Director.

Laurie has worked in media and marketing for more than 30 years, with clients like Unilever, P&G, Adidas, Mars, Hilton and Hotels.com. He has held many senior media agency roles in APAC, EMEA, North America and Australia, including head of planning roles for global clients and most recently as Head of New Business and Marketing for MediaCom APAC. Since 2009, Laurie has called Perth home, where he has been an independent planning consultant working with local brands and agencies, continuing to traverse the globe for international projects.

He takes over the Strategy Director role from the highly regarded Mark Pinney, who has resigned and will leave the agency next week.

“Dick’s experience working with the world’s biggest advertisers makes him a supreme authority for our clients here in WA,” said Groves. “His combination of international experience and deep local knowledge means he’ll bring unparalleled strategic insight and expertise to our clients’ marketing strategies.”

Laurie said he was looking forward to working with Carat’s clients in WA which is a unique media and advertising market.

“Culturally, Carat is a great fit for me as we share similar values and beliefs around simplifying marketing complexity and balancing brand response and brand activation needs. I’m really looking forward to meeting with and working closely with Carat’s key clients and to helping them realise their growth potential over time.”