Hotwire, the book-your-trip-in-one-place site launched nearly 20 years ago by executives from six major airlines, has a new creative agency of record.
FCB’s San Francisco office, or FCB West, won the business after a competitive review.
“This is going to be an exciting year for the brand, and we’ve found a team of creative partners who not only share in our vision, but also in our passion for the product and what it means to our customers,” said the client’s director of brand, PR and social Melissa Postier.
An FCB spokesperson declined to elaborate beyond the press release. But we hear it was a nearly-all West Coast contest involving Vitro, Pereira & O’Dell and Fallon as the odd (Midwestern) man out.
Fallon will, however, be handling media with Citizen Relations on PR.
The creative business had previously been with Heat, which picked up the business just over a year before being acquired by Deloitte. The agency’s work to date has included a YOLO campaign focused on near death experiences and a series starring Silicon Valley’s Martin Starr.
The incumbent opted to sit this one out.
“We wish Hotwire success,” a Heat spokesperson said. “The timing and the size of the account just weren’t right for us at this new moment.” According to Kantar Media, Hotwire spent $37 million on marketing in the U.S. last year.
FCB West CEO Joe Oh, whose biggest current clients are Clorox and Docker’s, added, “We’re excited to be partnering with Hotwire as their lead creative agency to help them drive and fuel business momentum.”
Hotwire is part of the Expedia network, which includes Orbitz, Hotels.com and, yes, Trivago.
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