oneworld consolidates account with TM Advertising

oneworld®, the world's leading quality global airline alliance, has appointed TM Advertising as its lead global advertising agency, to support its marketing team on a worldwide basis.

TM's first assignment as part of its new contract was to develop the communications campaign, launched today in France and Germany (see separate press release at oneworld.com), to build awareness of oneworld and revenue generated by the alliance for its member airlines, who include some of the biggest and best carriers in the world - American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, LAN and Finnair with, from early next year, Japan Airlines, Hungary's Malév and Royal Jordanian.

Until now, the account had been handled jointly by TM Advertising and M&C Saatchi London since oneworld was formed in 1998. The decision to consolidate the account with TM Advertising, prompted by alliance member British Airways moving its account from M&C Saatchi to Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) in November, will deliver the alliance with considerable benefits.

oneworld Vice-President Commercial Nicolas Ferri explained: "Consolidating the oneworld account with just one agency will enable us to work in a more cost effective manner. TM's strong airline expertise and its knowledge and experience of oneworld, coupled with its ability to deliver creative and compelling advertising and media resources globally, made it an outstanding candidate to work with us in building awareness of oneworld worldwide."

TM Advertising Worldwide Account Director Bill Miller said: "We're thrilled to expand and solidify our relationship with oneworld at this exciting time in its development, as it undergoes its biggest expansion yet. With some of the best names in the airline business as its members, oneworld represents an attractive and strong customer proposition in this highly competitive marketplace. We're honored to have the opportunity to help oneworld build demand for its brand."

About oneworld

oneworld enables its members to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. These include a broader route network, opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles and points across the combined oneworld network, and more airport lounges. oneworld is the only alliance to enable passengers to fly throughout its network, on any combination of carriers, using just electronic tickets.

oneworld was named the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the fourth year running in the 2006 World Travel Awards, based on votes cast byalmost 100,000 travel professionalsfrom more than 200 countries. It is also the only alliance whose members reported collective profits in their latest full year.

Note: LAN affiliates LAN Ecuador and LAN Argentina are not members of oneworld.