EasyJet in £22m review as it prepares to axe Go
Low-cost air carrier easyJet is expecting to consolidate its European media planning and buying account as it prepares to phase out the Go brand. The business is worth &£22m in the UK.
The company has written to all its European media agencies to terminate contracts with effect from March 31 next year. EasyJet’s UK media incumbents are BBJ Media and Feather Brooksbank. Go uses Optimedia UK.
The pitch will be overseen by easyJet sales and marketing director David Magliano. He says: “With the two airlines coming together, it provides us with the opportunity we need to consolidate and review the media-buying side of our marketing.”
EasyJet bought Go for &£374m in May and is phasing out the brand and its website. All routes will then be sold from the easyJet website and a single telephone number.
Magliano, formerly Go sales and marketing director, has not yet confirmed whether he will maintain easyJet’s strategy of creating ads in house. HHCL & Partners is the incumbent ad agency for Go.
This week easyJet has responded to British Airway’s latest campaign with a press ad using the strapline “Low fares needn’t BA con!” The ad includes the line “We are campaigning for BA’s chairman Rod Eddington to change his e-mail address to rob.everyone@ba.con!!!”
A BA spokeswoman says: “Our rivals are obviously rattled because we are offering low fares and good service. They should plough their ad money into offering a better service.”
