BDDH lands ú9m Emirates work

Butterfield Day Devito Hockney has picked up the Emirates airline worldwide advertising account, worth a claimed ú9m, after a final battle against Mellors Reay & Partners.

The Dubai airline ap-proached six shops before Christmas last year (MW January 27). TBWA, Leagas Delaney, Simons Palmer Denton Clemmow & Johnson and D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles were also on the shortlist.

The list was whittled down to two after presentations to a panel of top Emirates’ management in London last week.

BDDH and MR&P presented to the same panel, led by Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and group managing director Maurice Flanagan, in a run-off in Dubai this week.

The review of the account, previously handled by Grey, was prompted by concern that the airline had unsuccessfully positioned itself as an international carrier. The airline flies to 34 different destinations and is adding four new ones – including Ho Chi Minh City and Nairobi.

Emirates manager of group advertising Geraldine Lowe says she was impressed with both the finalists, but that “in the end it was BDDH’s ability to give the advertising international legs and tactical applications which won the day”.

BDDH is expected to devise a push to give the airline a mainstream positioning. The agency points out that while Emirates has won 71 awards for quality of service, its ads have not enjoyed the same recognition.