Subway Picks Tombras as New Social Agency of Record

Knoxville-based Tombras has been named Subway’s social and activation AOR, following a two-month competitive pitch. 

Subway hired Tombras to:

• Increase brand engagement, relevancy, and advocacy across social media channels: TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat
• Develop digital and social activations for key tentpole moments and proactive, cultural opportunities that arise
• Optimise the brand’s social media strategy, with special attention paid to younger generations
• Oversee creative, content, partnership and sponsorship activations across social channels
• Drive digital programs and in-app purchases through digital only offers and exclusive menu options

Work began earlier this year, with recent highlights including a secret menu launch, a collaboration with former NFL player Marshawn Lynch and on-site activations centred around the Super Bowl.

“As we enter the next phase of our brand refresh, we’re now modernizing how we reach consumers through social media,” said Carrie Walsh, global CMO of Subway. We don’t want to do work that is just on-culture. We want to inspire culture, and Tombras is going to help us do that."

"Subway has assembled a marketing dream team with the ambition of refreshing Subway into one of the most exciting and modern brands. They know the creative leap required,” said Jeff Benjamin, chief creative officer at Tombras. "They know first hand that social, digital, speed and brand actions are the path to breaking through culture. Together, we are ready for the opportunity ahead."

Subway is the latest win in a string of new business successes for Tombras, with the agency winning 12 out of 15 recent pitches. Other key Tombras accounts won in 2021 include Big Lots (creative AOR), Pernod Ricard’s American Whiskey portfolio (creative AOR), Edible (formerly Edible Arrangements; full-service AOR), Mozilla Firefox (social AOR), and American Cancer Society (media AOR).