National tourism agency, VisitBritain, has been awarded a prestigious Gold Award from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), in recognition of successful partnership work with leading global airline, British Airways.
The commendation was given in the Marketing – Allied Partner category, for the VisitBritain and British Airways campaign for Seeing Britain in Style, which ran across seven countries in Asia Pacific*, from September 2008 - March 2009. In order to win the award which was nominated as ‘Best in Class’ by the PATA judges, VisitBritain fought-off stiff competition, in a year that saw 236 entries from 120 organisations worldwide.
“We are extremely pleased that the strategic alliance between VisitBritain and British Airways has culminated in this prestigious award,” said Carol Maddison, VisitBritain Marketing Manager, Middle East region. “By showcasing Britain as a holiday destination that caters to every traveller’s need, VisitBritain hopes to inspire tourists to regularly travel to Britain for their holidays,” added Maddison.
Consumers were encouraged to be surprised by Britain – to take another look at this classic destination, with a chic, contemporary twist on the traditional. The destination was aligned with the quality of the British Airways brand, alongside stylish British experiences, to extend the appeal and reach of the audience, targeted to the 25-45 Single Income No Kids and Double Income No Kids segments.
The main execution was a 40 second television casting, showcasing the dynamism and diversity of Britain, which featured a competitive airfare from British Airways, making the proposition immediately compelling. The campaign also ran across print and online. Aesthetically, the pricing also indicated the stylish elements of both the Britain and British Airways brands, by utilising the Union Jack to illustrate the fare offer in red, white and blue figures.
Commenting on the accolade, VisitBritain Regional Director, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Garry White said: “We are absolutely delighted to accept this prestigious award from PATA, in recognition of our successful partnership work with British Airways. The consumer preference for Britain has significantly increased as a result of this campaign and VisitBritain and British Airways have a shared vision to work together to continue to build the British brand.”
Choi Fong Vallis, Communications Manager, British Airways, Asia and the Pacific, added: “This was the first time we worked together with VisitBritain on such an extensive campaign, encompassing so many markets. It’s a fantastic achievement to have been awarded such an accolade from the industry.”
