Steve’s breakdown: Copa Airlines, a small Panamanian air carrier with a North American base in Miami, has been increasing its fleet, adding destinations and hiring employees at a rapid clip. The featured video is for the Latin America market and we suspect they are going to have to get serious about the USA advertising with all this ex [...]
Posts in category Industry: Travel
Copa Airlines sees soaring growth but where’s the US advertising
Steve’s breakdown: Copa Airlines, a small Panamanian air carrier with a North American base in Miami, has been increasing its fleet, adding destinations and hiring employees at a rapid clip. The featured video is for the Latin America market and we suspect they are going to have to get serious about the USA advertising with all this ex [...]
$19 million hitting the road at Halford
Steve’s breakdown: These guys sell everything you could ever need for a road trip. Very cool stuff.
REDDITCH, UK: Halfords has put its £12 million advertising account up for pitch.
The incumbent, DLKW Lowe, which was responsible for last year’s epic “best trips last a lifetime” TV spot, has decided not to repitch.
Halfords’ [...]
Avis picks-up Zipcar
UPDATE: A spokesman at Zipcar is now saying there is an ad review happening right now that was left over from last year. But we’re not buying it yet. We suspect there’s still confusion on the marketing side. My advice is to get in there so they know your brand but don’t be surprised if they’re cagey.
Steve’s brea [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: So here are the accounts won one year ago this week. The chart shows the client, [...]
New Business Opportunity: Cold War looming for travel sites
Steve’s breakdown: Deutsche Bank believes there is a “Cold War” for the travel sites on the horizon. As far as we are concerned, this is good news and suspect at least one of the top sites will review their advertising. Here are the top ten travel site according to Top Ten Reviews.
Smarter Travel
Expedia
Orbitz
Travelocit [...]
Digital account review prediction: Lufthansa
Steve’s breakdown: We don’t really “do” new CMO announcements here at The Ratti Report but this one is more global than europenan. Plus, bringing in a ex-Facebook executive signals a change in their digital strategy.
FRANKFURT, Germany: Lufthansa has appointed a former Facebook executive as its new head of marketing [...]
Expedia’s $6 million account takes off
Steve’s breakdown: A handfull of agencies have been briefed but if you have the stuff, I bet you can slip right in there. It doesn’t look like they want to keep the incumbents.
SYDNEY, Australia: Online travel company Expedia has put its $6m Australian creative advertising account out to pitch, putting incumbent BMF on notice.
Ex [...]
Hailo wants to go Global: In review
Steve’s breakdown: They want to go global and the best they have is this “Don’t take the walk of shame this season” video. These folks need help so call AAR.
LONDON, UK: Hailo, the taxi-booking app that has emerged as an adland favourite, is looking for a creative agency to help build its brand as it expands globally. [...]
Global digital pitch at Emirates
Steve’s breakdown: Emirates is looking for an agency to handle a global digital brief to promote its fleet of 777s. As far as past review action, we reported in August “Emirates calls $15 million UK ad review”
LONDON, UK: Agencies have been approached directly to pitch for the account. The process will be led out of London. [...]
Kayak put’s $38 million in review
Steve’s breakdown: I think it’s ridiculous that the spot featured here was banned by the ASA. They ruled that the ad’s “treatment of a serious and delicate medical procedure could be seen as flippant”. Wimps!
Anyway, this is a perfect opportunity for a US shop to go international.
NORWALK, CT: Kayak, the online travel [...]
Avios digital review takes flight
Steve’s breakdown: Their present campaign, which will continue to run, is ingenious and a perfect fit for a new digital campaign. I would be all over this if I could pitch it.
WARRINGTON, UK: The company is using Agency Assessments International to help with the review, with an appointment expected to be made in January.
Avios’ digital [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: So here are the accounts won one year ago this week. The chart shows the client, [...]
Wheels rolls in a new CMO
Steve’s brekdown: You gotta love a logistics company named Wheels! And this category tends to make some of the best creative in the BtoB space.
TORONTO, Canada: Wheels Group Inc., a leading North American 3PL, supply chain logistics provider, is pleased to announce that Tim Boyce has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Mr Boyc [...]
Orient-Express Hotels’ new lease on life
Steve’s breakdown: Sometimes we watch a company go through some challegning times and you wonder how they will ever get out of it. You just wish the company could get a new lease on life. Well, that’s just what happened with Orient-Express.
Now with no takeover from Tata and with a new CEO, we suspect there’s a new sence of [...]
Virgin Holidays explores for digital agency
Steve’s breakdown: “Virgin Holidays is looking for an agency to handle its search, social media, affiliate and mobile marketing. Its search partner of four years, Steak, has declined to repitch for the business.”
CRAWLEY, UK: It is understood that Virgin Holidays has chosen a range of agencies to speak to about working on i [...]
Listening for New Business Leads
Steve’s breakdown: Let’s just talk about new business and where it’s going to be coming from as it concerns the federal government.
Green power technologies, manufacturing and installation.
Healthcare communication systems which we wrote about back in June with the headline: “Biggest PR account expansion ever!!“ [...]
GoAir ad review takes off
Steve’s breakdown: They are in beginning stages of this review. There are 15 shops pitching and our point-of-view in these types of situations, they have room for one more.
MUMBAI, India: The aviation industry may be seeing bursts of activities in the advertising space, but Wadia Group’s GoAir is all set to choose a new creative partne [...]
BNSF gets 2nd new CMO in 1 year
Steve’s breakdown: BNSF named Steve Bobb executive vice president and chief marketing officer, with responsibility for BNSF’s sales, marketing, customer service, economic development and business unit activities. He succeeds John Lanigan, who has decided to retire effective Jan. 15, 2013.
BTW: We just reported last January ̶ [...]
Queensland Transport opens second pitch in two months
Steve’s breakdown: Personalised Plates Queensland is what you’ll be selling with this account.
BRISBANE, Australia: The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads has put another piece of its business out to tender, this time looking for an agency to market its number plate service, Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ).
In [...]
Ferretti Yachts sets sail with new CMO
Steve’s breakdown: Hope you all are staying safe while hurricane Sandy is around. Things are a bit dicey here at the Jersey Shore. Hey look, a yacht lead!!
FORLI, Italy & FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Throughout the last 12 months, The Ferretti Group has undergone a series of notable accomplishments, including a new shareholding structure, [...]
Media review: Association of Train Operating Companies
Steve’s breakdown: The Association of Train Operating Companies has called a review of its media planning and buying account. Operators represented by the ATOC include First Great Western, Virgin Trains and Southwest Trains.
As for the traveling gnomes, I guess they are new in Europe.
LONDON, UK: ATOC wants an agency to support the [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: So here are the accounts won one year ago this week. The chart shows the client, [...]
Allianz Global Assistance USA finally lands CMO
Steve’s breakdown: The new CMO is an operations guy so he may be open to hearing some professional marketers pitch the business.
BTW: They just launched this brand 6 months ago!!
RICHMOND, VA: Allianz Global Assistance USA, a leader in travel and specialty insurance, announced this week that travel industry veteran Alan Josephs has joi [...]
$9 million PR account in review: Amtrak California
Steve’s breakdown: There’s an RFP for this account which has a few problems but don’t let that stop you from calling them up!!
SACRAMENTO, CA: California is reviewing its $9M public education, outreach and rail safety education program touting passenger rail and bus service in the Golden State with an open RFP process this m [...]
Amtrak hits record ridership & New Business
Steve’s breakdown: We like this trend for so many reasons but for our readers, this could mean more passenger train lines. Why should the Amtrak ad agency have a monopoly on train travel?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amtrak trains carried 31.2 million passengers in the fiscal year ending in September, the highest annual ridership since the railroad [...]
Virgin Galactic takes full control
Steve’s breakdown: I love the term “Spaceline,” as in airline. And that’s what’s happening at Virgin Galactic. And now Sir Richard has full control which we think will translate into new marketing opportunities for agencies.
MOJAVE, CA: Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, today announced tha [...]
Is there an airline without an agency flying around?
Steve’s breakdown: SeaPort Airlines just got the Athens-Nashville route. Not big news but who’s promoting them? If you’re in the northwest or the mid-south, this would be a good call.
PORTLAND, OR: Federal officials have awarded a two-year subsidy to Oregon-based SeaPort Airlines to provide passenger flights from Athens to N [...]
Genesee & Wyoming buys RailAmerica
Steve’s breakdown: I love the railroads. I’ve either lived on top of one, like I did on 8th Avenue in Manhattan, or live by one, like I do here in beautiful downtown Asbury Park.
This news is about the consolidation of publicly held Rail Roads. Winning an account like this is another way to go international very quickly.
GREENWIC [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: So here are the accounts won one year ago this week. The chart shows the client, [...]
PepsiCo Pres quits to become CEO of Pilot Flying J where we predict an ad review
Steve’s breakdown: I’m in agreement with John Sicher, the editor of Beverage Digest. “Bottom line, this is about John wanting to run his own company.” And to us, that means big changes in marketing.
That new company is Pilot Flying J of Knoxville, Tenn., which operates a chain of truck stops in the United States and Canada [...]
Dollar & Thrifty park their brands at Hertz
Steve’s breakdown: So this news means the Dollar and Thrifty brands will be getting new advertising. The featured video is a classic Dollar ad from 1991.
PARK RIDGE, NJ: Rental car company Hertz is buying its rival Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group for approximately $2.3 billion, giving it more ways to attract business and leisure travel [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: Accounts won one year ago this week. Source: Access Confidential
Duk [...]
Emirates calls $15 million UK ad review
Steve’s breakdown: So there’s a long list of shops invited which usually means you can squeak your way in if you’ve got the right stuff.
LONDON, UK: The airline has issued an RFI to agencies and is currently compiling a longlist of shops to pitch for the business.
One source suggested that the airline is looking to integrat [...]
Trouble in Paradise? Accounts won one year ago this week
Steve’s breakdown: It’s Wednesday and that means our weekly instalment of Trouble in Paradise where we list the accounts won this week last year. The idea being most agency-client relationships will break within a year if they are meant to break.
EVERYWHERE USA: Accounts won one year ago this week. Source: Access Confidential
Bel [...]
Silversea starts a new journey with a new marketing head
Steve’s breakdown: This ex-GM guy probably has a bit of humility left in him. Go take advantage of it and pitch the account.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Silversea Cruises has appointed Keith Spondikeas its new vice president of marketing for the Americas, effective Aug. 6, 2012.
Based in the company’s Fort Lauderdale office, Spondike wi [...]
PR & social media in review for Toll Roads in Orange County
Steve’s breakdown: You’re getting a big head start on this one. Questions about the review are due August 20, 2012 and proposals are due September 7, 2012.
See the original document here.
IRVINE, CA: The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency and the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (jointly referred to as [...]
Air New Zealand takes off with media review
Steve’s breakdown: Back in December we reported Ad account gets naked: Air New Zealand pitches creative. Now the media portion goes in review for Europe.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand: The review will be handled through AAR and Air New Zealand is looking to appoint an agency to provide full-service media planning and buying for the UK and Germa [...]
Air Malta to issue advertising and media agency tenders
Steve’s breakdown: Talk about the perfect airline account. One destination, one airline, one choice! Brilliant.
VALLETTA, Malta: Air Malta will this week be issuing invitations to tender for the appointment of an advertising and a media planning and buying agency.
The agencies selected will not only work with Air Malta in campaigns targ [...]
New York State Thruway (and canals) Authority seeks horn blower
Steve’s breakdown: 800 press releases don’t get in the news by themselves. That would be your job if you win the pitch. Proposals are due July 9. View the RFP at thruway.ny.gov.
ALBANY, NY: The New York State Thruway Authority, which runs the longest toll superhighway in the in the U.S., along with the Erie Canal and other waterw [...]
Fed-Ex expands in Brazil with purchase of Rapidão Cometa
Steve’s breakdown: This is the second American company in a week to buy in Brazil. On Friday it was General Mills. Is this a trend? Everyone on the globe thiks it is so jump on it!
MEMPHIS, TN: FedEx says it will expand in Latin America with its purchase of a Brazilian transportation and logistics company.
FedEx is buying Rapidão Comet [...]
The T issues RFP for marketing services
Steve’s breakdown: The T was created in 1983 as the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, a regional transportation authority of the State of Texas and is not an agency or department of any of its member cities. It provides quality public transportation to meet the mobility needs of Tarrant County and the North Central Texas region.
FOR [...]
Virgin Holiday in Review
Steve’s breakdown: This is the third Virgin account review we’ve posted in the past year but I think this is probably the biggest.
LONDON, UK: The business is currently handled by Elvis, which has worked with on the brief for five years. The agency has been invited to repitch for the business in a review overseen by Creativebrief [...]
Hertz wants to put you in the drivers seat of the $15 million pan-Euro media
Steve’s breakdown: They have issues an RFP for the account via Procurian so if you in the market, that’s who to call.
LONDON, UK: The car-rental company has issued RFIs via the marketing strategist Procurian and agencies have been invited to submit initial information online.
Initiative, the incumbent, won the account in 2009 afte [...]
Ad Account in Review: Albany Transport CDTA
Steve’s breakdown: Lord knows these folks can use some fresh creative. Here the schedule:
All Questions Due in Writing to Stacy Sansky: April 12, 2012
Proposals Due from Proposers: April 23, 2012 1:00PM
Recommendation to the CDTA Board: May 25, 2012
Approval by the CDTA Board: May 30, 2012
Notice to Proceed: May 31, 2012
Start Date: J [...]
U.S. Space Tourism: Your Next Fronteir
Steve’s breakdown: Obviously, the exciting part of this news is the tourism aspect but the more immediate market for the ad industry is marketing suborbital spaceflights to research organizations, educational institutes and businesses that want to conduct experiments and fly payloads in space. There are three lead opportunities mentioned in [...]
Pennsylvania Road Authority Reviews PR & advertising
Steve’s breakdown: The budget for this marketing & PR account is $450k not including media placement. Questions about the RFP are due back to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Communications & Public Relations Department before March 16th and the actual completed RFP is due April 4th. You can view the RFP here. As for the fe [...]
$150 Million Southwest Airlines Launches Agency Search
Steve’s breakdown: It’s not always easy to get into a pitch once Select Resources International starts the process but if you already have your credentials over there, it’s worth a call. My gut tells me they are looking for an agency to work with GSD&M.
DALLAS, TX: Southwest Airlines has worked with Omnicom Group’ [...]
Taking Off Again: Vietnam Airline Reviews Global Ad Account
Steve’s breakdown: We reported in July Vietnam Airlines calls a global creative and media pitch but they called the pitch off because “none of the 17 bidding agencies had proven up to scratch.” But it seems the pitch is back on.
HANOI, Vietnam: An undisclosed 4A agency head, who attended the pitch presentation earlier this [...]
Arkansas Transit Authority issues RFP for PR services
Steve’s breakdown: Proposals are due March 9th and the RFP can be downloaded here.
The contact is Sharon Williams
Director of Aministration
Central Arkansas Transit Authority
swilliams@cat.org
LITTLE ROCK, AR: The transit agency for Little Rock and central Arkansas is calling for PR proposals to bolster support and use of public transpo [...]
Flybe puts $7.9 million Ad Account in Review
Steve’s breakdown: Flybe, the budget airline, has approached ad agencies regarding its £5 million advertising account, as it looks to bolster its share of a competitive market.
DEVON, UK: The airline has been in contact with agencies directly regarding the business, according to sources.
Flybe’s advertising is currently handled b [...]
BNSF gets new CMO
Steve’s breakdown: These guys have been running a corporate spot on PBS for over a year. Follow this link to view it.
GRAPEVINE, TX: BNSF Logistics, a leading third party logistics provider, today announced the appointment of Jim Craig as its new Chief Marketing Officer.
“Jim’s extensive experience and focus on superior customer servic [...]
CityJet calls $6 million advertising pitch
Steve’s breakdown: CityJet, the London-based airline, has called a review of its estimated $6 million pan-European advertising account. The carrier is a subsidiary of Air France.
LONDON, UK: CityJet is reviewing the account through Creativebrief.
Euro RSCG currently handles the business, having been appointed in March 2009 after a shoot [...]
Rolling out the red carpet: Inspirato Appoints new Chief Marketing Officer
Steve’s breakdown: With the new CMO coming from Dish, I suspect he’s going to be highly aggressive with their marketing and I do see an opportunity for an agency with luxury travel experience.
DENVER, CO: Inspirato, the destination club for a new generation of luxury consumers, is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Ira [...]
Ad account gets naked: Air New Zealand pitches creative
Steve’s breakdown: They are being tight-lipped on this one but I suspect if you have the credentials to pitch, they’ll take the call. By the way: Yes, those are painted bodies in that ad. WOW!
AUCKLAND, New Zealand: Air New Zealand has placed its creative account out to pitch with a number of agencies still in the running.
A spok [...]
Put the account on the card: American Airlines & CitiBank puts card biz in review
Steve’s breakdown: There is a top secret review happening but I can get still get you the RFI. There’s not much time but many of the questions are multiple choice. I can’t publish it but I can email it to you.
NEW YORK, NY: Here’s a breakdown of their products:
Card
Summary
Annual Fee
Purchase
APR
Balance Transfer [...]
Shops line up for Viking River Cruises task
Steve’s breakdown: Viking has a great relationship with travel agents and I’m sure that will be a large part of this account. And the funny part about this $5.5 million UK advertising account is that the company is headquartered in the USA.
LOS ANGELES, CA: The company, which is the world’s largest operator of river cruisin [...]
Avis Budget in Review at McCann
Steve’s breakdown: My “spidey senses” say McCann will keep the business but you should make them work for it. Maybe you’ll even take the prize.
PARSIPPANY, NJ: Another account at McCann Erickson in New York is in review. Avis Budget Group has issued an RFP for its advertising business, which the Interpublic agency won [...]
Middle East account action
Steve’s breakdown: We have two account reviews in this post. Both are in the middle east. One an airline and the other a telco.
ABU DHABI, USE: Etihad Airways is the process of reviewing its global creative and media accounts.
The account, which is worth an estimated $160 million, is being competed for by most of the big global adverti [...]
Roads and Traffic Authority seeks digital agencies for panel
Steve’s breakdown: I’m not sure of the budgets on this but it could be an easy win is you have the right background. The featured RTA ad is from a few years back but I think it’s timeless.
SYDNEY, Australia: The New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) is seeking agencies to form a creative digital media services p [...]
TRANSO seeks media planning & buying firm
Steve’s breakdown: The South Bend Public Transportation Corporation (TRANSPO) is seeking proposals for media planning & buying.
“Sealed proposals shall be submitted in envelopes marked “Media Planning and Placement Services”, and will be received at the administrative offices of TRANSPO – 1401 S. Lafayette Blvd., South B [...]