Four wins brief as bmi cuts PR spend

by Ian Hall, PR Week UK 01-Nov-02

Airline bmi has hired Four Communications on a PR and public affairs brief following a cut to its external PR budget.

The contract with incumbent agency Hill & Knowlton, which has handled this combined remit since the start of the year (PRWeek, 18 January), expires at the end of the year.

Four, which starts work in January, lost a pitch for the bmi contract 12 months ago, but has now been hired as bmi axes H&K in a cost-cutting push.

bmi head of corp comms Robert Nadin said: 'Aviation is going through a period when finances are under the microscope. Four's team brings an ability to work within the expenditure parameters we face during the next 12 months.'

Nadin confirmed bmi plans to 'revisit' its agency arrangements in continental Europe, but said this would not take place for 'a few months'.

Four's account team, headed by partner Ray Eglington, will report to Nadin on media relations issues, and to government and regulatory affairs manager Will Lofberg on PA.

In terms of media relations, Nadin said Four would aim to boost the profile of the bmi brand. On the PA side, Four will work on bmi's campaign to break the arrangement under which the number of airlines flying between Heathrow and the US is limited to four.