NEWS CONFERENCE REPORT
Advantage Conference 2017: Technology took centre stage at the consortium’s ‘Man & Machine’ themed event. Ben Ireland reports from France
Feilim Mac An Iomaire (centre), Paddy Power
Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage
Take a gamble on mischief, says Paddy Power marketer
Independent agencies can dare to think outside the box and push the boundaries to raise awareness of their brand, says a professional mischief maker.
Paddy Power’s Feilim Mac An
Iomaire told delegates at the Advantage Conference that they should use their own creativity to self-promote – using both social media and making a splash in traditional news channels by commenting on trending stories. He said agencies should stick to
their own message but dared them to break the mould and not be afraid to upset people if they want to stand out – but reminded those who went for humour-driven campaigns to pick targets wisely. Mac An Iomaire, hired by bookmaker Paddy Power after putting up a billboard of himself looking for work under the alias Jobless Paddy, said: “There’s a line we won’t cross, but we want to be as close to it as we can. “Great ideas can come from
absolutely anyone, not just marketing people. Don’t be afraid to fail. If there’s something
travel-related or scandalous, you can piggyback that.” Paddy Power caused a stir by
paying out early on a Hillary Clinton election win that didn’t materialise and having footballer Nicklas Bendtner reveal branded underpants at the Euro 2012 football tournament. Agents at a Travel Weekly
round-table discussion were inspired to be more creative, albeit not as controversial.
PEDAL POWER: “If you’ve got the chance to dream, dream big,” six-time Olympic cycling gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy told Advantage members in a rousing speech. He urged agents to think about the “process not the outcome” when setting personal and business goals. Sir Chris talked about his first gold in Athens in 2004, when three rivals broke the Olympic record and he had to set a personal best to win. And he revealed he would take his own mattress to hotels on training trips.
Sandra Corkin, owner of Oasis
Travel, said: “Just trying something different might make you stand out. I’m wondering what an earth we can do, but we can’t be afraid to be creative.” Idle Travel owner Tony Mann said the agency got a publicity boost when it worked out of a portable cabin during a renovation. “I ended up on national radio. At first I thought ‘oh my God’ and we got some stick, but customers stuck up for us.”
Industry can add value as leader in use of latest tech
The travel industry can be a technology leader, giving agents more time to add value with the personal touch. Advantage managing
director Julia Lo Bue-Said said the Man and Machine-themed conference aimed to inspire Advantage members to embrace technology. “Technology is really exciting
for travel, as we are selling dreams,” she said. “Agents have the perfect product to engage with customers and think outside the box. “We hope they are inspired
to tap into the amazing platforms out there, whether blogs, pictures or videos, and come up with ideas to help them stand out from the crowd. “Think about technology but
don’t forget people. Humans are our biggest asset.” Chairman Steven Esom
added: “It’s about people, their decisions and how to drive more customers to their businesses. To do that they must embrace the best that technology has to offer.” ● Next year’s conference will take place in Miami.
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travelweekly.co.uk 18 May 2017
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