Banks Hoggins lands Mark Warner account

Holiday company Mark Warner Leisure has appointed Banks Hoggins O’Shea to its 1m advertising account after a three-way pitch.

Banks Hoggins pitched against incumbent Quintessential Advertising, which held the account for four years, and the Arc Group of Companies.

The media account, previously held by Bygraves Bushell Valadares & Sheldon (BBVS), will also be handled by Banks Hoggins.

Nigel Ragg, group marketing manager for Mark Warner, says: “We want to make a step change and feel that Banks Hoggins O’Shea is the agency to do that for us. We are positioning the brand in the same way as Club Med and aiming to find more of the same type of people to go on our holidays.”

The company hopes to double the number of travellers it caters for from 50,000 to 100,000 per year over the next five years.

Mark Warner owns 15 winter hotels and chalets and 12 summer club hotels in the Mediterranean. It recently announced the opening of two new hotels that will launch in 1998/99 winter season and one in the summer of 1999.

Mark Warner will launch its press and poster campaign in January next year.