• by Amy Corr  @MediaPostOTL, January 7, 2014

Austin-based McGarrah Jessee has expanded its relationship with San Antonio-based hamburger chain Whataburger. The agency has handled creative duties for Whataburger since 2003 and recently won all media planning and buying duties following a review that included national and global media agencies. Southwest Media Group in Dallas previously handled the work. McGarrah Jessee will add between 12 and 15 jobs to handle the new work. Whataburger owns 740 locations across the southern US, from Arizona to Florida. "Whataburger customers are better connected at home and on the go than ever before and we have an opportunity to evolve with them in the digital space," said John Lee, Marketing and Innovation Director for Whataburger. "McJ showed us a clear vision for that evolution, as well as developing innovative plans for our offline marketing.” McGarrah Jessee and Whataburger will continue to create unique ways to engage Whataburger’s fan base, as well as develop plans to reach new customers. Whataburger spends an estimated $35 million on measured media.