Delta Hotels & Resorts has narrowed its search from 12 to three Toronto shops: Franklin Dallas, Enterprise Advertising and Robins Sharpe Associates.
A fourth agency, Miller Myers Bruce DallaCosta, pulled itself from the competition before the final presentations scheduled for today.
MMBD Chairman Marty Myers says the agency is working on a large project for a new account and doing speculative creative for Delta on such short notice ‘would come out of the hide’ of the new client.
David Duncan, manager of marketing services for Delta, says a final decision will be announced July 31, with Aug. 17 as the ‘move-in’ date for the new agency.
A mini-project, an assessment of competitive advertising in the Delta category, helped the client get to know the 12 agencies involved in the review.
Delta has 21 properties in Canada and is looking for an agency that can service all of the regions. That will not necessarily mean an office in every area, but the new agency must understand the different markets because there will be requirements for regional work.
It has been a busy summer for Delta.
Joel Rosen joined the hotel and resort chain as vice-president of marketing and sales at the beginning of June. Two weeks later, Delta ended its two-and-a-half year relationship with Vickers & Benson.
During May and June, Delta was involved in a student project with one of the agencies on the short-list – Robins Sharpe.
The six-week pilot program was called AdLab. Twenty-one college and university students were divided into three groups to prepare a campaign pitch from market research through to conceptual tv and radio commercials and print ads.
The teams were supervised by Robins Sharpe and Delta acted as the client. PS
