99c Wins Lead Agency Role for The Building Company with Bretail Philosophy
As the lead advertising and creative agency, its brief includes the TBCo corporate brand and its two well-known building materials retailers, BUCO and Timbercity.
Bretail philosophy
The appointment follows a competitive pitch process in which 99c demonstrated its full-service, integrated capabilities and extensive retail experience, built over nearly two decades working with some of South Africa's biggest retail brands.
Central to the win was 99c's “Bretail” philosophy, which recognises that advertising must build long-term brand value and move product.
According to Andrew Brand, group CEO and founder of 99c, this approach resonated strongly with TBCo, which was looking for an agency capable of helping BUCO stand out in a competitive building materials market, while strengthening its appeal to both trade customers and build-it-yourself (BIY) consumers.
Brand explains that retail has taught them that every piece of advertising must do two jobs.
“It needs to give people a reason to believe in the brand and a reason to buy.
“We've spent nearly 20 years applying this thinking to some of the country’s biggest and best-known brands, and it's exciting to bring this expertise to a new category,” he says.
"For TBCo, the opportunity is to build on its established brand presence while making the promotional engine work harder. That's exactly where our Bretail philosophy comes into its own," adds Brand.
A compelling approach
Johan Spies, marketing executive at TBCo, says, “We were looking for a partner that understood the commercial realities of our business, could help us bring our strategic ambitions to life, and, importantly, ensure that what we promise our customers is reflected in how we operate as a business.
“99c demonstrated a clear understanding of the people we serve and the opportunities ahead, with a compelling approach that connects brand development to business return.
He adds, “We were equally impressed by the agency’s flexibility and its ability to provide strategic leadership while working collaboratively with our existing partners. We look forward to building the next chapter together.”
Agency’s integrated operating model
Another key factor in the appointment was the agency’s integrated operating model, which brings strategy, creative, media and execution together under one roof.
For 99c, integration extends to how its people work – for example, account managers are trained in digital and traditional media, ensuring that campaigns are developed with a broader understanding of the channels and audiences they need to reach, while maintaining specialist and technical capability.
Brand says, “We're incredibly proud to have been entrusted with these well-established South African brands, and look forward to working with the TBCo team to help bring their vision for the business to life.”