Carat loses grip on £3m BAA media account

by Staff,, Brand Republic 12-Feb-03, 11:00

LONDON - Airport operator BAA has added ZenithOptimedia to its list of roster agencies to work alongside incumbent Carat on its £3m media planning and buying account, after a competitive pitch.

A statutory review of the work began in October last year, overseen by group marketing director Barbara Beckett. Carat will retain the lion's share of the work, with ZenithOptimedia offered a supporting role following a pitch against Universal McCann and one other unnamed agency.

BAA is also reviewing its advertising agency roster. It currently retains Delaney Lund Knox Warren and direct marketing agency Claydon Heeley Jones Mason.

BAA is believed to be planning a big marketing push for the summer months. However, things could be tough for BAA, with the threat of war making some passengers wary of unnecessary air travel. Terrorist threats also persist, with a massive security alert at BAA's flagship airport Heathrow yesterday leading to an ongoing police and army operation in the surrounding area.

BAA owns seven of the UK's biggest airports, including Gatwick and Stansted. In January, 8.8m passengers used BAA airports, a rise of 10.7% on the same month in 2001 -- prior to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Previous advertising campaigns have promoted BAA's shopping facilities, despite the fact that duty-free shopping has disappeared for passengers travelling between EU countries.

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