British Airways appoints WPP as its global marketing agency

International Airlines Group (IAG) has appointed WPP as its marketing agency working across its British Airways (BA), IAG Cargo and Avios brands.

The deal ends BA’s 12-year relationship with Bartle BogleHegarty (BBH),which had added BA’s loyalty business to its account in March 2014, winning the business from OgilvyOne.

Ogilvy & Mather London and OgilvyOne will handle the advertising and loyalty accounts respectively, while GroupM will be responsible for media business.

The agency will now manage media planning, strategy and buying, creative services, social media, paid search, affiliates and production for the airline. WPP will also be managing Avios’ media services and IAG Cargo’s production and creative/studio work to drive simplification and synergies.

“British Airways was looking for a transformational model to streamline a number of its marketing services and WPP delivered the best solution to the brief,” BA’s spokesperson explained.

Although GroupM will take over the media planning and buying for the BA brand, Carat is understood to have retained BA’s sister International Airline Group brands Aer Lingus, Vueling and Iberia.