Universal lands £10m Travelocity
Universal McCann has won the £10m pan-European account for online travel giant Travelocity. Universal will handle implementational planning and buying, while Klondike, which is part-owned by St Luke’s, will handle strategic planning.
Universal McCann has won the &£10m pan-European account for online travel giant Travelocity.
Universal will handle implementational planning and buying, while Klondike, which is part-owned by St Luke’s, will handle strategic planning. It is not known whether the agencies pitched for the business.
St Luke’s was appointed in October to handle the creative business for the European roll-out, which will start in Germany and France early next year. Advertising in the US is handled by Texas-based agency Roberts Advertising.
US-based Travelocity is the world’s third largest e-commerce company, behind Amazon and e-Bay.
The online travel sector has been under pressure recently, after United News & Media’s decision to shut down uTravel. Thomson Travel Group’s Travelchest.com is also reported to be struggling to find funding. Other major players include Expedia and Lastminute.com.
Jennie Soffe, new business director at Universal McCann, says: “Travelocity is a serious player in the travel market. It’s a huge brand in the US and already well-established in the UK.”
James Burgess, managing partner at Klondike, in which St Luke’s has a stake, adds: “Travelocity is ideally positioned to be one of the winners. This is a unique opportunity to build a global online brand.”
