Ad agency decision takes backseat as carrier rebuilds

By Nick Smith

Friday 14th September 2001

The advertising industry will have to wait a little longer for an answer to the $80 million Air New Zealand question.

The industry has been on tenterhooks for a month as it waits for Air New Zealand to make a decision on which agency will represent the airline in an $80 million global branding campaign.

Needless to say, Air New Zealand marketing manager Alistair Ackers has more pressing matters on his mind than appointing an advertising agency.

But he refutes persistent rumours that whisper "all bets are off."

The airline will not even look at the question of which agency will handle the campaign until the dust settles on the Ansett Australia/ownership debacle.

A decision is still some time away but the demise of Ansett has removed the need for an agency with a transtasman presence, meaning a local company will be in charge of the prestigious brand.

Some in the industry are fuming about the disastrous events of the past fortnight having spent tens of thousands on staff time, airfares and associated costs pitching for the business.

Before Ansett went into public meltdown, the choice for Air New Zealand was between DDB and Generator Bates and its Australian parent, George Patterson Bates.

Given the radical changes at the airline, some are not ruling out incumbent Colenso BBDO from retaining the Air New Zealand business.

All parties are keeping tight-lipped about their chances but it is clear a completely different task faces those advertising agencies that originally pitched for the business.

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