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Agency Beat: Sabre Virtually There Names Tribal DDB Dallas

Sabre Virtually There, which claims to be the largest Web site of confirmed travelers, has named Tribal DDB Worldwide, Dallas, as its interactive agency.

The Westlake, TX, online company considered 17 agencies nationwide and whittled down the list to five shops in Dallas, New York and San Francisco. Billings were not disclosed.

Richards Group, Dallas, and a few smaller agencies helped with interactive work on a project basis. Richards is the agency for Sabre Holding Corp., the parent company of Sabre Virtually There. It handles offline advertising and marketing communications aimed at travel agencies.

“We're using Tribal DDB to help us position the benefits of virtuallythere.com to travel agencies and also to advertisers in order to advertise on the site,” said Nanci Williams, public relations director at Sabre Virtually There.

Tribal DDB's Dallas office will also publish online newsletters for Virtually There as part of its assignment. The office is part of a worldwide network comprising 500 employees and clients such as Anheuser-Busch, Volkswagen, Clorox, ExxonMobil, Microsoft Corp., PepsiCo and Unilever.

Virtuallythere.com records almost 1 million unique visitors a month. Besides real-time information on flights, gate assignments and weather, visitors can view their itinerary that has been crafted by Sabre travel agents. Travel itineraries can also be received via e-mail or wireless devices.

“We can offer advertisers the ability to target specific travelers,” said Andrea Spica, director of marketing at Virtually There. “For example, as an advertiser, they can target specific demographics and where travelers are going and the duration of stay and reservations.”

Euro RSCG Acquires Impact Group

Euro RSCG Worldwide, New York, has bought Atlanta marketing services agency Impact Group for an undisclosed sum. Renamed Euro RSCG Impact, the shop becomes part of Euro RSCG Marketing Services, a customer relationship services division.

The 3-year-old Impact posted annualized billings of $27 million through services such as event marketing, sampling, brand building and merchandising. Clients include Starbucks Coffee Co., General Mills, Amurol, Suzuki, Unilever and PepsiCo.

Revolution Sets Up in New York

Revolution Marketing has opened doors in New York. Launched by Andrew Klein, former executive vice president at entertainment marketing shop EMCI, the agency will create and produce niche-marketing programs.

Clients signed up include Aspen Marketing Group, General Growth Properties and Immortal Entertainment.

Brooks Awards $1M Account

Brooks Sports, a Seattle manufacturer of athletic footwear and apparel, has named Diamond Morgan Northend Albers to its $1 million integrated branding account.

The Palo Alto, CA, shop was one of five agencies that pitched for the business. Diamond Morgan will create a brand vision for Brooks as well as brand communications, retailer and interactive programs, event marketing and product advertisements.

Five years old, the agency's roster also includes Silicon Valley Bank, IDG, AT&T Corp., PC World magazine and NEC.

ICAN Adds International Agencies

The International Communications Agency Network Inc., Rollinsville, CO, has added new member agencies in Russia, Puerto Rico and Panama.

The agencies are Magic Box in Moscow, Arteaga & Arteaga in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Rila Publicidad, Bella Vista, Panama. The new enrollees are part of ICOM's ongoing effort to strengthen its independent ad agency network. ICOM has more than 70 agencies in 45 countries.

CPRi Wins ValueSales Account

Streaming media firm ValuSales.com Inc. has named CPRi Communications Inc., Teterboro, NJ, as its public relations agency of record.

The agency will develop a media relations program to support ValuSales.com's marketing and sales initiatives. Based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, ValuSales.com targets direct marketers with services like digital communications, streaming video and technology.

Point B Becomes BLVDwest

Point B, a Newport Beach, CA healthcare agency, has renamed itself BLVDwest.

The name change is meant to reflect the agency's changed approach to brand marketing and communication as a result of increased pressures on healthcare marketers. Services offered by the agency include customer loyalty programs, product life cycle extension, launches and lead generation.

Clients are Beckton Dickinson, La Jolla Pharmaceuticals, Nanogen and Jostra Bentley, among others.

WideRay Launches Wireless Partnership

WideRay, a San Francisco developer of wireless beaming technology for on-location broadband data services and mobile devices, has launched its agency partnership program.

This program will cement alliances with key agencies like Foote, Cone & Belding Chicago, Starcom North America and SF Interactive. WideRay's Jack device beams content and applications to handheld instruments. Content downloads are free to end-users. It can allow media audits by offering data on the number of downloads, repeat visitors and follow-through.

Glue Sticks Despite Deepgroup's Demise

British interactive agency Glue has survived the collapse of its parent, Deepgroup. The London shop gained new life when British independent agency St. Luke's agreed to take an equity interest. Glue has managed to retain its clients, which include thomascook.com, E4.com and Virgin Group's Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Money and Virgin Train.

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