Lastminute to simplify brands
Business Travel Show London 2005: Lastminute.com will “simplify” its online brands after admitting some of its websites are becoming too unwieldy.
New UK managing director Mark Jones, speaking at the Business Travel Show, said there will inevitably be some rationalisation after acquiring 23 brands when it purchased the Online Travel Corporation.
“Some sites are getting too cluttered,” said Mr Jones. “Some of our specialist brands will become more specialist.”
He stressed marketing will be spent directly on the Lastminute brand, rather than on individual websites, although they will be supported on a “return on transactional value basis.”
Brands will be retained “where relevant and where high on Search Engine Optimisation rankings,” he added.
Earlier, Gerry Benson, managing director of GforGo.com – a Dublin-based agent-only site selling flights, accommodation and packages – urged companies to “sue the pants” off technology suppliers who promise the earth but don’t deliver.
During an impassioned outburst, Mr Benson said: “I believe in outsourcing IT but you need to be very specific and ensure they have a full brief. I find with suppliers they try to bluff and do not consider what you want.
“Tie the person down. If they can’t deliver, sue the pants off them.”
Report by Steve Jones
Ginny McGrath
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