Lastminute.com aims to be more than a travel retailer
Lastminute.com is positioning as an all-embracing online leisure, entertainment and travel retailer and is launching its first pan-European campaign in support of the overhaul.
The company, one of the few survivors from the first wave of dotcom businesses, wants to be known as more than just a travel retailer. This space is now becoming very crowded with newer brands such as easyJet Holidays lining up alongside Expedia, Air Miles Travel Company, Teletext Holidays and others.
It is to base its marketing on the concept of helping customers tell “unforgettable stories” rather than just promoting discount offers.
A new strapline, “Stories Start Here” is being adopted across Europe from Friday (1 April). In the UK the launch campaign embraces television, including a spot during Coronation Street on ITV1 and on Sky1, press and online activity, including a tie-up with Time Out and The Guardian.
The positioning line replaces “Do more good stuff”, which has been used since early 2009.
Mark Newton, chief marketing officer, says: “At lastminute.com we have always sought to innovate through our marketing, spending the last decade building an attractive and appealing brand. As the business has expanded across Europe, we need a platform that is consistent across all our markets and “Stories start here” does that job tremendously well.”
The TV campaign, created by Karmarama, features a series of vignettes that encourage the viewer to guess the story behind the scenes, such as a pig in a lift or a man catching a fish.
Lastminute.com’s website is also being overhauled to adapt it further for mobile and to make it simpler and easier to use.
