Subway just made a major move in the advertising game — and no, it’s not another footlong deal. Following a competitive review, Subway has handed its U.S. creative account to Leo, Publicis Groupe’s recently formed global creative powerhouse born from the merger of Leo Burnett and Publicis Worldwide.
The win comes as Leo looks to make its mark with a “guest-centric” strategy aimed at building on Subway’s sandwich supremacy.
“Leo will lead a fresh, new guest-centric creative strategy designed to build on Subway’s leadership in sandwiches,” Subway said in a statement.
Leo replaces Dentsu Creative, which had steered Subway’s U.S. creative ship since 2017, when the brand consolidated creative and media under one integrated team (with Carat still handling media). Dentsu’s social remit is reportedly not affected by the creative shift and the agency will continue working with Subway on various marketing efforts.
Agencies that also pitched for the account included WPP’s Ogilvy and IPG’s McCann, according to sources. R3 managed the review, though the consultancy hasn’t commented publicly.
Media Review Still On Deck
Subway had earlier signaled a review of its U.S. paid media business, though insiders say that process hasn’t kicked off just yet. Dentsu remains the incumbent on the media side.
With more than 20,000 locations and $10 billion in sales in 2023, Subway remains a heavyweight in the quick-service restaurant world, ranking as the eighth-largest restaurant chain in the U.S., per Nation’s Restaurant News.
The brand spent $282 million on U.S. measured media in 2024, a drop from $333 million the year prior, according to MediaRadar.
Leadership in Flux, But Creativity on the Rise
This shift in agency comes during a transitional period for the sandwich giant. Global CEO John Chidsey announced his departure last fall, and Carrie Walsh, former global CMO and current EMEA president, is now serving as interim CEO. A permanent chief marketing officer has yet to be named.
Meanwhile, Leo — with a footprint of 15,000 employees in 90 countries — is looking to reestablish creative dominance. The newly formed network was announced in January, signaling a bold new era (and the retirement of “Burnett” as a standalone name) after a tough 2024 that saw account losses from brands like General Motors, Goldfish, and Kellanova.
Still, scoring Subway is a major win. Let’s hope Leo brings the heat — and maybe a little extra sauce — to the brand’s next creative chapter.
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