Thomas Cook preps ‘biggest ever campaign’

Thomas Cook is taking the unusual step of launching its biggest marketing campaign of the year in spring in a bid to cement what it claims is its position as the market leading travel brand.

Thomas Cook

The multimedia activity, which the company claims is its “biggest ever”, launches today (8 March) and aims to position its travel agencies  and website as the natural choice of the global and domestic traveller.

A television and cinema advertisement introduces the strap line “It’s a wonderful world, explore it with us.” It is soundtracked by a cover of “Wonderful World” by former Ramones singer Joey Ramone.

The ad will be backed by outdoor, radio and digital activity, including a Facebook competition that offers participants the chance to win their dream holiday.

Thomas Cook will be hoping the activity reverses what it described last year as a “deterioration” in trading in its domestic business. It will also want to draw a line under the financial difficulties that led to emergency debt refinancing late last year.

The company followed the deal by announcing the closure of 200 “under performing” high street shops as part of a slew of cost-cutting measures designed to reassure investors.

Phil Aird-Mash, co-chief executive officer for Thomas Cook, says: “Whilst it is unprecedented for a travel company to embark on such a wide-reaching campaign at this time of year, for us it means we’ll really stand out and our voice will be clearly heard. We are well known as a summer sun operator but our DNA is as a retailer and we wanted to make sure that we’re just as well known for this too.”

Michael Johnson, marketing director of Thomas Cook, adds that the campaign “is the first step toward toward us cementing our position in customers’ minds as the market leader in travel”.

The campaign is being launched to coincide with Visit England’s £5m domestic campaign, which launched yesterday (7 March).

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