HDMAgency picks up brief to promote Jersey Tourism

Jersey Tourism has appointed HDMAgency to handle its &£2m through-the-line advertising account, its third agency appointment in as many years.

The agency was appointed after pitching against Communications in Business and cdp-travissully.

The business will be switched from OgilvyOne Worldwide, which only took on the Jersey Tourism account in August 2001 (MW August 9, 2001). Prior to Ogilvy, TBWA/GGT Direct was the incumbent on the business for a year.

HDM has been briefed to create a pre-Christmas campaign in the hope of reversing the decline in tourist numbers to the island. The number of UK visitors to Jersey fell four per cent in 2001 to around 400,000 (CMP Information).

Jersey Tourism has retained Coley Porter Bell as a branding consultancy. The agency worked on a project in 2000 that led to the development of the 2001 “Find your own island” advertising theme. MediaCom handles media buying.

Marketing director David de Carteret says HDM’s pre-Christmas press and magazine advertising campaign will be supported by direct marketing and interactive elements. He adds that the main target will be the out-of-season and short-break market, while Jersey will also be developing “event-led” tourism. The tourist office will be building on a maritime theme for 2003.

The bulk of the marketing spending will target the UK but &£500,000 will be used in campaigns to attract French and German visitors.