p10 advantage oct3 1/10/08 21:13 Page 10
news conference report
ttglive.com
Advantage Conference 2008 • Campaigns
MARKETING.
Advantage magazine for 500,000 homes
Rupert Murray.
“We hope that all agents will then have Addressing delegates
ADVANTAGE is to launch a major marketing the Advantage sign on their shops, in order on the final day of the
campaign promoting the brand to half a million to take advantage of the increased public conference, Advantage
homes located around 500 branches. awareness.” chief executive John McE-
The consortium is in talks with a publishing The marketing push is one of several efforts wan highlighted the con-
house about creating a free consumer magazine to promote the Advantage brand to consumers. sortium’s Peace of Mind
to be distributed in the first half of 2009. Colin O’Neill, sales and marketing director, campaign (pictured).
Recipients will be drawn from the database of said 80% of the consortium’s membership now This was launched within a few days of
Advantage branches, as well as by postcode, and used the Advantage name either on shop facias the XL Leisure Group collapse to promote
the magazine will be published up to four times or promotional materials. the virtues of booking with an agent.
a year. As part of its affiliate marketing campaign, “We will have a major marketing and
Annette Sherrard, Advantage marketing Advantage will feature in Sainsbury’s customer PR campaign that will enable us to get
executive, said: “The aim is to let more con- magazine in November. that message across,” he said.
sumers know about Advantage and their local Readers will be directed to Advantage web-
Advantage travel agent. sites to enter a competition, O’Neill said. ■ Aito brand awareness push, p30
LIFESTYLE VENTURE. MEMBERSHIP.
‘30% commission’ for luxury agents
Consortium
ADVANTAGE’s international travel operation, A glossy brochure is being created and 200
Win, has introduced a lifestyle hotel programme. hotels are taking part initially.
Travel Without Boundaries brings together The brochure will be backed by an interactive opens to agents
top hotels, resorts, spa and lodges, and special- display on the luxury travel website. The scheme
ist luxury agents. is expected to start early next year.
Elliott Miller, of Como Hotels & Resorts, said Advantage has also launched an online villa
outside of Abta
agents could make up to 30% commission on booking engine for Florida, Portugal, Spain,
every booking. Cyprus and Turkey. ADVANTAGE is to open up membership to non-Abta
members and will offer the financial backing of a
trust account and a group Atol.
SPARK LIFE: The consortium currently accepts only agents
Most travel who are Abta members and Iata accredited.
conventions However, to broaden membership, it will offer a
have fireworks, central accounting system from December both for
but delegates existing and prospective members.
at Advantage’s Chief executive John McEwan said this would
conference allow the consortium to welcome new members
probably who may want to outsource their accounting and
witnessed the not join Abta. He insisted he was not “lowering the
most unusual. bar” for entry criteria.
UK safety “Any new ventures who come in through that
officials would route will be rigorously scrutinised,” he said.
have been Negotiations with the CAA are continuing about
tearing their Advantage’s group Atol under which agents will be
hair out, as able to dynamically package.
performers More details are due to be made available about
carried the this in early November.
fireworks, McEwan claimed about 20 agents were
spraying the interested in non-Abta membership but he said
audience with they would not be allowed to use the Advantage
sparks. brand for an initial period.
10 03.10.2008
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