Goodyear Dunlop UK has appointed Connect Group as its UK full service agency.

Following a wide-ranging review of all its agency partnerships, the Wolverhampton-based agency, which has handled Goodyear Dunlop’s tyre retail franchise HiQ for the past 10 years, has been appointed to manage the Goodyear and Dunlop brand portfolio where it will handle the group’s marketing communications.

In its time working with HiQ, it was made responsible for the complete repositioning of the brand and the introduction of a new corporate identity which is currently being introduced across all 125 UK franchised stores.

The agency will expand to meet the needs of the account and has appointed Mike Meredith as account director in the last few weeks to steer the team.

Meredith has experience of in-house roles at Bentley where he was global marketing communications manager, Rolls Royce and Alton Towers.  

The agency is now looking for additional senior support in creative, particularly digital.

Mark Dilks, Goodyear Dunlop’s Group marketing manager, said: “Connect has a clear understanding of the markets we operate in and has proven strategic capabilities across its wide portfolio of clients.  

“The agency’s comprehensive full service offering will ensure we achieve all of our marketing communications objectives going forward and by bringing all of our marketing services into one agency, we will be able to achieve considerable cost savings and have one principal point of contact.”

Rob Hampton, Connect Group’s MD said: “We have a long and proud association of working with Goodyear Dunlop through our work on the HiQ brand.

“Our mission is to offer our clients a comprehensive business solution combining the expertise within the group, bringing together creative design, digital services and direct marketing. It is this approach that sets our business apart and offers clients such as Goodyear Dunlop the results-driven service they need in this difficult, but recovering climate.”