Bermuda Department of Tourism Taps Arnold McGrath

NEW YORK–The Bermuda Department of Tourism has handed its estimated $10 million account to Arnold McGrath, agency president Stephen Badenhop confirmed. The New York shop beat out three-year incumbent J. Walter Thompson in New York and two other undisclosed contenders following strategic and creative pitches earlier this month [Adweek Web, Feb. 8].

Tourism minister David Allen and assistant director of tourism Cherie Whitter, who led the review, could not be immediately be reached for comment.

Arnold McGrath is charged with creating a new brand campaign that will attract more visitors to the destination, said Badenhop. New TV and print work is expected to break in time for Bermuda’s busy season, which falls between April and October.

The latest campaign from JWT was a series of newspaper ads that retained the “Out of the blue” tagline that the agency introduced in 1999. According to CMR, the client spent nearly $7 million on measured media in 2000 and $6.5 million for the first ten months of 2001.

The win comes on the heels of layoffs at Arnold’s headquarters and two other Arnold wins, one in McLean, Va., and another in Toronto. (See related story: http://www.adweek.com/adweek/headlines/advertising_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1354823).