Advantage members pledge to stress links to consortium following rebrand

Advantage Travel Partnership agents have pledged to align themselves more closely with the consortium by using its new logo on shopfronts and more prominently online.

 

Members said they were keen to capitalise on any potential increase in business as a result of the rollout and promotion of the new Advantage branding and digital platform, unveiled at this year’s annual conference in Malta.

 

Fred Olsen Travel retail director Paul Hardwick said he was impressed by the new “clean and clear” branding, adding the 23-branch high street agency would now consider ways to leverage the brand and highlight its connection with Advantage.

 

“We will look at our windows, to start bringing the Advantage brand in,” he said.

 

“Advantage is getting that brand awareness out there, so we can help customers realise what the brand means.”

 

Although the agency is unlikely to use the brand on its shop fascias “to begin with”, it is likely to feature the logo in windows, as it does with Abta. Similarly, the logo is set to become more noticeable on Fred Olsen Travel’s website, including a link through to the consortium’s website.

 

“We really need to make customers aware of the Advantage brand,” he added. ArrangeMY Escape general manager Jennifer Lynch said she was also keen to increase the agency’s use of the “fresh and modern” brand.

 

She said: “It’s something we need to shout about, to show we are part of a bigger organisation. I want to incorporate it more and associate ourselves with the new brand. Advantage is advocating for us so we should do the same in reverse.”

 

Idle Travel director Tony Mann also pledged to get behind the new brand.

 

He said: “I love the new branding. It’s fresh and current. If Advantage is going to market the consortium and get that awareness of Advantage as a brand out there, we will get behind it and use it more.”

 

Advantage marketing director David Forder, speaking on stage at the conference, said agents would reap the benefits of promoting the consortium, which now has 750 branches in the UK.

 

He said: “We will be shining a much brighter light on the Advantage brand. While growing our membership remains a priority, we are laser-focused on communicating the value of booking with an independent travel agent and driving that traffic straight to you.”