OPODO APPOINTS LEAGAS DELANEY FOR PAN EUROPEAN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

Opodo, the new online travel service created by Europe's nine leading airlines, officially announced today that Leagas Delaney has been appointed to mastermind a high impact advertising campaign, for the launch of Opodo's network of travel websites throughout Europe.

Leagas Delaney was selected following an intensive nine-way pitch to create a campaign that could powerfully differentiate Opodo as the leading online travel brand in Europe. Leagas Delaney is best known for its work with high profile brands such as Adidas, Barclays and Harrods.

Commenting on the appointment, Nicolas de Santis, Marketing Director for Opodo said: "The European online travel market is a dynamic and challenging environment. We selected Leagas Delaney because they presented the most strategic response to our brief and a campaign that broke the mould of traditional travel advertising. Our business goal is to build the Opodo brand as a profitable household name throughout Europe with a loyal customer base."

Tim Delaney, Chief Executive, of Leagas Delaney said: "To be appointed by a brand created by nine of Europe's biggest airlines is a huge compliment and an endorsement of the work our team put in over the course of the four month pitch process."

Opodo implemented an exhaustive selection process for its creative agency, involving extensive focus group analyses of the advertising concepts in Opodo's key European markets: France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The Leagas Delaney concept scored highly for its energy, personal tone and the positive feedback received from focus group participants throughout Europe.

De Santis added: "Considering the need for this campaign to work across several European markets it has been vital to see how the finalist creative concepts translated in the various languages and cultures. We have been very careful during this pitch to ensure that our campaign received the validation of the consumer and not just the marketing experts. The results of the research have been very helpful in making these decisions."

Opodo is to invest £30 million in European advertising. Leagas Delaney has been appointed to successfully position the Opodo brand across Europe. Waves Marketing & Communications advised Opodo on the pitch process and will continue to work with the online travel service when it launches across Europe over the coming months.

Opodo also confirmed that it had officially appointed Carat as its media-buying agency.

Notes

Nine agencies were selected to pitch for the Opodo account. The finalists were Howell Henry Chaldecott Lucy (HHCL), Banks Hoggins O'Shea/FCB and Leagas Delaney. Leagas Delaney was awarded the account.