Equinox Communications wins £1.5m Gulf Air brief

Gulf Air has appointed Equinox Communications to handle its £1.5m media planning and buying account as it prepares to capitalise on the upturn in air travel to the Middle East.

Gulf Air has appointed Equinox Communications to handle its &£1.5m media planning and buying account as it prepares to capitalise on the upturn in air travel to the Middle East.

Equinox, owned by Zenith Optimedia, is positioned to handle challenger brands and first-time advertising clients. Zenith Optimedia handles British Airways’ media business but says the carrier has been informed of the Equinox win and does not see a clash.

Gulf Air usually spends between &£1.5m and &£2m a year, but scaled back its advertising in 2003 following the war in Iraq last year. Media was previously handled by AMS Media Group. Advertising is handled by Communications in Business and there are no plans for a review at present.

The airline is based in Bahrain and is the national carrier for the Kingdom of Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. It sponsored the first Grand Prix to be hosted in the Middle East, which took place this month in Bahrain.

Gulf Air is in the second year of a three-year strategic recovery plan and has appointed destination marketing company Arabian Experience to promote tourism to its three hubs.