CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Looking for a partner at the forefront of culture and trend, Orbitz, a leading online travel agency in the U.S., announced today that it selected Havas Chicago as its creative agency of record (AOR). The decision follows a competitive agency selection process, with more than 10 agencies reviewed, as Orbitz, owned by Expedia, looks for new ways to set itself apart in a very crowded marketplace. Havas Chicago will take on digital, social and creative content responsibilities.
In its comprehensive search for a new partner, Orbitz pursued an AOR to help drive awareness of its brand promise and value proposition, challenge the status quo and bring a new perspective to the online travel space to drive growth and build brand preference with U.S. travelers. In addition, a top priority is to drive consumer awareness of Orbitz’s loyalty program, Orbitz Rewards. The company selected Havas Chicago because of the agency’s clear read on today’s cultural insights and the synergy between the brand and agency teams. Havas Chicago will work in lockstep with Carey Malloy, the brand’s newly appointed Brand Marketing Director, to create market impact.
“Beyond the extensive capabilities Havas Chicago brings to the table, they demonstrated a clear understanding of our needs and positioning in a cluttered industry,” said Malloy. “It was like a first date, where both sides just clicked. Havas Chicago delivered on values, transparency and energy that are all similar in our brand philosophy.”
“The team at Havas Chicago delivered solid concepts, and its social media strength is exactly what we are looking for,” echoed Ramses Meijer, General Manager of Orbitz. “Their mission to invigorate great American brands is what we need to energize Orbitz in an innovative way.”
Evolving Orbitz to better connect with consumers through cultural relevancy is a challenge that falls squarely within Havas Chicago’s core competencies. The agency has created award-winning, culturally relevant campaigns for its deep roster of iconic American brands including Citi, Coca-Cola, Craftsman, Cracker Barrel, Hefty, Moen, Reynolds, Ragu, Sears and Kmart.
“Cultural relevance isn't something you can fake,” says Tatia Torrey, president and chief client officer of Havas Chicago. “Our approach is deeply rooted in contemporary culture which allows us to be the best partner to brands like Orbitz – a brand that is looking to re-energize its connection with travel consumers. We consistently remain at the forefront of trends, making culture rather than borrowing from it, and we look forward to bringing this value to Orbitz.”
Havas Chicago plans to launch the first campaign in partnership with Orbitz in 2018.
About Havas Chicago
Havas Chicago is an agency committed to reinvigorating iconic American brands through cultural relevance. The agency brings an unmatched understanding of Millennials’ mindsets and behaviors, and a passion for embracing the emerging trends shaping business and pop culture. Part of Havas Group, a leading integrated marketing communications agency and the first to be named Global Agency of the Year by both Advertising Age and Campaign in the same year, Havas Chicago fuses an independent spirit with global scale, and are united by a shared mission to be the world’s best company at creating meaningful connections between people and brands through creativity, media and innovation. Learn more on the website, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About Orbitz.com
Orbitz.com is a leading travel website where millions of consumers search for and book a broad range of hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and destination activities. Orbitz.com now offers the groundbreaking Orbitz Rewards loyalty program—the only program where customers can earn rewards immediately on flights, hotels and packages, and redeem instantly on tens of thousands of hotels worldwide. Use the Orbitz Rewards Visa® Card to earn even more rewards. Orbitz.com is the #1 way to book travel on mobile devices, be it using our apps (get them at orbitz.com/mobile) or our smartphone-optimized website (m.orbitz.com), both of which are tailored for smartphones and tablets. Follow Orbitz on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and through the Orbitz Travel Blog. Orbitz.com is owned by Expedia, Inc., one of the world's leading travel companies.
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