First Choice to launch major TV advertising campaign

First Choice will launch its first TV advertising campaign for two years on Monday to raise awareness of its move to all-inclusive holidays from May 2012.

Shot at the new First Choice Holiday Village Tenerife, the campaign will also appear in national newspapers from Monday December 19 and will continue into the New Year.

It will also be visible throughout TUI's 800 shops and, from December 28, customers will be sent personalized direct mail with recommendations from First Choice based on past holidays. The use of QR (quick response) codes will allow some customers to link straight through to the suggested holiday page on the First Choice website, using their smart phones.

The operator said that in the five years to 2009 the all-inclusive market grew by 32%, prompting its decision in April this year to become the UK's first mainstream holiday company to offer 100% of its hotels and resorts on an all-inclusive basis.

First Choice new director of marketing Jeremy Ellis said: “The new advert plays an important role in further differentiating the two leading TUI UK brands, First Choice and Thomson."

The TV advert will be shown during the "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Christmas Special" on ITV.

By Linsey McNeill