Canadian Airlines International has selected a longlist of 10 agencies and agency partnerships that will vie for the Calgary-based carrier’s review of its $11 million-plus account.
The review, which attracted more than 50 agency hopefuls, was launched in November.
A shortlist is expected Feb. 12, with March 25 as the date for the final decision.
Those making the list are Toronto-based firms, except where noted: bcp of Montreal, which handles Canadian’s Quebec business; Bozell Palmer Bonner with Temerlin McClain of Irving, Tex.; Cossette Communication-Marketing of Montreal; Gee Jeffery & Partners Advertising; Ogilvy & Mather, Canadian’s direct marketing agency; Padulo Integrated; Roche Macauley & Partners with David Cairns and Company; Vickers & Benson; Wings, a partnership of DDB Needham and Parallel Strategies of Calgary, and Young & Rubicam.
One of the short-listed agencies, v&b, handles advertising for another airline.
It has had the British Airways business in Canada since last May through Britain’s The New Saatchi Agency, which handles the worldwide account.
As to whether the agency plans to walk away from the airline assignment, v&b President John Hayter would only say the status of the relationship is a confidential matter between v&b and British Airways.
Bozell’s joint pitch with sister agency Temerlin McClain is noteworthy because Temerlin is the lead u.s. agency for American Airlines, which owns 33% of Canadian.
A Temerlin representative services the Canadian portion of the American Airlines account out of Toronto, while Bozell handles media planning and buying.
