Publicis Ambience wins Musafir.com business

The brand team is still evaluating media planning and buying agencies.

UAE-based premium travel website Musafir.com has appointed Publicis Ambience as its creative agency. The agency's Mumbai office will work on this account.

The development is the result of a multi-agency pitch that was initiated in Mumbai a few months ago. At the time, afaqs! had carried an exclusive report announcing the pitch. The process saw the participation of both, leading networked agencies as well as reputed creative boutiques.

The report also mentioned that the pitch came in the wake of the company's plans to launch India-specific packages and focus on Indian travellers/outbound travel from India. The winning agency will now be required to work on the launch campaign for the brand.

Refusing to divulge details about the upcoming communication, the Musafir.com spokesperson says, "We're still in the process of articulating our launch strategy."

He adds that it was Publicis' clear interpretation of the brief and 'thinking capabilities', amongst other skills, that helped the agency clinch this win.

Market sources peg the media spends in the region of Rs 10-15 crore. The media mix will be a 360 degree effort including TV, afaqs! learns.

Paritosh Srivastava, executive vice-president, Publicis Ambience Mumbai, says, "We look forward to creating some memorable work and making a mark for 'Musafir' in a rather cluttered space."

Musafir.com offers flights to more than 3,000 destinations and stay options in about 46,000 properties around the world. The portal was founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani, Sachin Gadoya and Albert Dias in August, 2007 and was inaugurated by Thani on April 23, 2009.

The brand is incorporated under Universal Travels & Tourism LLC, an IATA-accredited travel agency which was founded by Thani and Gadoya in 2005.

The Musafir.com team is still in the process of evaluating media planning and buying agencies for its launch campaign.

It may be recalled that among Publicis Ambience Mumbai's recent account wins are Bharti Axa Life and General Insurance, and Renault's Duster.