±±¾©Èü³µpk10

The activity is intended to move the business on from its traditional positioning as an online travel retailer, instead focusing on entertainment options, spa breaks, an online restaurant-booking service and experience packages.

TV, online and print ads, created by Karmarama, will use the strapline "Stories start here" to push Lastminute.com as a lifestyle brand. The TV ads will run in the UK only, with print activity in titles such as Time Out and The Guardian. Media buying is being handled by Manning Gottlieb OMD.

Mark Newton, chief marketing officer at Lastminute.com Europe, said it was important to have brand consistency across all its markets.

In addition, the brand is overhauling its website. It will feature a cleaner design and aims to be easier for consumers to use. Lastminute.com's mobile site will continue to be updated, alongside its iPhone and Android mobile apps.

Last year, the brand introduced Lastminute.com/tv, an online TV channel housing a mix of ad-campaign material and travel content. The launch was part of UK marketing director Mark Fells' plan to transform the brand into a 'one-stop shop' for consumers to plan their spare time.

In 2010, Lastminute rolled out a TV ad campaign to encourage consumers to leave the recession behind and take a holiday abroad. Ads promoted exotic destinations such as Iceland, New Zealand and Peru, using the strapline "Good stuff".

The brand claims to sell a holiday every 15 minutes, a spa break every three minutes and a theatre ticket every 26 seconds. Lastminute.com receives more than 1.65 million unique visitors a week.

IN MY VIEW - EXPERT COMMENT - PAUL FLATTERS, MANAGING PARTNER, TRAJECTORY

Lastminute.com is trusted to deliver for big leisure occasions like holidays, making it easier to diversify into more modest events that will be bought more frequently than holidays, building a relationship.

The use of a pan-European message, if done carefully, will work. The site appeals to users who are confident enough to buy their leisure experiences online. Many attitudes and behaviours unite those consumers, so it is easier to build a message that can communicate to all of them.