Mark Warner hands task to Mediahead

Holiday company Mark Warner has appointed Mediahead to handle media planning and buying for its new advertising strategy.

The company recently appointed Circus to devise a brand strategy and Soul to implement a &£1m campaign (MW June 20). Mediahead, which replaces incumbent Bygraves Bushell Valladares & Sheldon, won the account after a pitch against All Response Media.

Mark Warner intends to double in size over the next four years, increasing its turnover from &£40m to &£80m. The company’s 2003 brochure, out in November, will have a print-run of 250,000 copies and will be supported by advertising towards the end of the year.

Mark Warner head of marketing Nigel Ragg says: “Soul will be coming up with some quite unusual ideas and we need a media buyer that can interpret those ideas well.”

The advertising will address the public perception of the Mark Warner brand. Ragg admits that potential customers have seen its holiday products as being too expensive or purely for families.

The brochure will contain new products, including a 550-bed resort in Kalamata, Greece, which Mark Warner bought from Club Med. The company operates eight resorts in Corsica, Greece, Italy, Sardinia, Spain and Turkey.

Mediahead already handles the media accounts for Irish Ferries, Air New Zealand and JAL.