Leagas Delaney scoops £30m European Opodo

Leagas Delaney is understood to have won the £30m pan-European creative account for the online travel portal Opodo.

Leagas Delaney is understood to have won the &£30m pan-European creative account for the online travel portal Opodo.

Opodo is backed by nine major airlines, including British Airways, Air France and KLM. Launched in June, Opodo claims that it will be profitable within two years and market leader by 2005.

BMP DDB originally won the business last December, but the account was put up for review following the arrival of marketing chief Nicolas de Santis from Beenz.com in February.

HHCL & Partners, Banks Hoggins O’Shea/FCB, Soul and Bartle Bogle Hegarty were also shortlisted. Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, McCann-Erickson and the incumbent BMP DDB were dropped from the shortlist earlier in the review (MW June 28).

Carat International has already been appointed to handle the media account after winning a four-way pitch against MindShare, Starcom Motive and OMD UK.

De Santis denies that a decision had been made on the creative account and says that an agency will be appointed later in August.

Although able to register with the site, UK consumers will have to wait until next year before they can take up any travel offers, which are currently only available to German customers. Opodo has access to 480 airlines, 54,000 hotels and plans to offer its own travel insurance.