Lastminute picks Quiet Storm for £2m task
Lastminute.com has appointed Quiet Storm to work on specific projects with an estimated spend of &£2m, as the internet company’s new marketing director Vijay Solanki seeks to review its brand.
Lastminute has dropped M&C Saatchi’s sister agency Immediate Sales Agency, which retained the &£5m business after it beat Wieden & Kennedy, Bartle Bogle Hegarty and BMP DDB to the business three years ago (MW August 24, 2000).
Quiet Storm’s appointment follows a competitive pitch overseen by Solanki, less than one month after he joined Lastminute.com as UK marketing director. A former marketer at Capital Radio and IPC Media, Solanki was most recently at the mobile phone-based song recognition service Shazam.
Quiet Storm has been appointed to two projects, but Solanki will not rule out the possibility of the relationship becoming longer term.
The agency’s immediate brief will be a brand audit as Solanki seeks to “review what the Lastminute.com brand stands for and to develop a future strategy in line with our ambitious growth plans”.
Solanki adds that Lastminute has a much broader brand awareness than has previously been recognised. He says that he wants to boost the company’s presence as a lifestyle brand and its activities in theatre, restaurants and gifts. Quiet Storm has also been appointed to work on a consumer communications campaign as Lastminute looks at alternatives to traditional advertising methods.
PHD Media will continue to handle all media buying for Lastminute. Direct marketing activity is handled in house.
