Lastminute.com aims to be more than a travel retailer
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Lastminute.com is positioning as an all-embracing online leisure, entertainment and travel retailer and is launching its first pan-European campaign in support of the overhaul.
The company, one of the few survivors from the first wave of dotcom businesses, wants to be known as more than just a travel retailer. This space is now becoming very crowded with newer brands such as easyJet Holidays lining up alongside Expedia, Air Miles Travel Company, Teletext Holidays and others.
It is to base its marketing on the concept of helping customers tell “unforgettable stories” rather than just promoting discount offers.
A new strapline, “Stories Start Here” is being adopted across Europe from Friday (1 April). In the UK the launch campaign embraces television, including a spot during Coronation Street on ITV1 and on Sky1, press and online activity, including a tie-up with Time Out and The Guardian.
The positioning line replaces “Do more good stuff”, which has been used since early 2009.
Mark Newton, chief marketing officer, says: “At lastminute.com we have always sought to innovate through our marketing, spending the last decade building an attractive and appealing brand. As the business has expanded across Europe, we need a platform that is consistent across all our markets and “Stories start here” does that job tremendously well.”
The TV campaign, created by Karmarama, features a series of vignettes that encourage the viewer to guess the story behind the scenes, such as a pig in a lift or a man catching a fish.
Lastminute.com’s website is also being overhauled to adapt it further for mobile and to make it simpler and easier to use.
YouGov Insight:
Holidaying
- Two thirds of consumers have taken short breaks in the UK over the past year.
- However, the recession and its aftermath have taken a heavy toll on short haul, short breaks. Just over one fifth of adults have taken a European short break over the past year.
- Those who have continued to take European short breaks are most likely to be young single men under 25: essentially, confident travelers who have been less affected by the recession than older consumers.
- 1 in 4 young men between the ages of 16 and 24 have taken short breaks in Europe in the last year. This is well above the average of 15% across all demographics.
- 1 in 4 YouGov respondents said that having friends or relative in the area had a bearing on the choice of destination for their last short break.
- Half of ABC1s said that they just don’t like lying on the beach, while only 37% of C2DEs feel the same.
Click here to read the YouGov Holiday Travel Report
Readers' comments (1)
Swaran Sandhu | Wed, 13 Apr 2011 3:38 am
The use of internet sites is still in the hands of the youth , an intelligent option for lastminute.com is to advertise short breaks to popular party destinations. Ibiza will appeal more to the youth than the culture of barcelona !
This short 'party' breaks will appeal to though who cant afford the londer breaks away.
However this does not mean ignore the 40+ who still retain large amounts of disposible income. a recession does not necessarily mean less income but a more astute consumer , so offering what appears to be 'cheaper' breaks should definatly win over that side of the market. The company is fortunate in that it has the ability to cater to all markets.
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