M&C keeps £5m Lastminute brief

Lastminute.com has retained M&C Saatchi to handle its £5m creative account, following a four-way pitch.

The agency, which was originally appointed in July last year, beat Wieden & Kennedy, Bartle Bogle Hegarty and BMP DDB.

M&C Saatchi’s sister company, the Immediate Sales Agency, was also involved in the pitch. M&C will work on a new campaign which breaks this autumn.

Lastminute is thought to be keen to change the perception that it is solely a cheap travel booking service.

The website also offers consumers restaurant reservations, music and theatre tickets, and gifts at short notice.

New PHD, which picked up Lastminute’s media buying and planning in February, is believed to be unaffected by the review.

Lastminute.com head of UK marketing Carl Lyons says: “During the past 12 months the agency has played a key role in helping establish Lastminute as the UK’s foremost e-commerce brand.

“We’re confident this work will develop the brand in line with our ambitions.”

Nick Hurrell, joint chief exec-utive at M&C, adds: “The new campaign will be more customer-centric, featuring specific products and inspiring ideas for all occasions in people’s lives.”

Millions of pounds were wiped off Lastminute’s share value after the company floated in March, just before a general downturn in Internet stocks.

But the company recently announced its proposed acquisition of Dégriftour Group, a French e-commerce company.

Lastminute claims the deal will make it Europe’s leading e-commerce company.