Comment: Is Tui right to weigh up a master-brand?

The news that the recently formed Tui Group is considering the future of its ‘legacy brands’ and weighing up whether it’s time to pull them all together under a Tui master-brand may cause a feeling of deja vu among some readers.

Turn back the clock nearly 15 years and the arrival of the ‘World of Tui’ was the first attempt to bring the company’s brands into alignment, with the smiley Tui logo as the common theme.

While Tui didn’t exactly find a place in the public consciousness back then, the gradual disappearance of brands such as Lunn Poly and Britannia Airways demonstrated there was a clear appetite to consolidate under a core identity – in this case, Thomson -– under the wider Tui umbrella.

It would take a very brave executive to axe this core brand, particularly now. But the same was said about Lunn Poly and Britannia back then.

In fairness to Tui (whether Travel, AG or Group), it has always been consistent in its commitment to establish ways in which to integrate its diverse portfolio and identify that dreaded buzzword – synergies – that could strengthen both its brand and bottom line.

But with the stakes so high, I have no doubt that the debate from boardroom level down will be particularly fierce when it comes to the implications of implementing such a strategy in the UK and Ireland.

The use of Miles the Bear with its ‘Tui smile’ in this year’s TV ads was a clear attempt to grow Tui’s brand awareness. Perhaps it was a sign of bigger things to come.