Amex Campaign Promotes Travel Agent as Hero

The travel agent as hero is one of the key themes of American Express Travel’s new ad campaign, and the one the company is most excited about, Claire Bennett, American Express Travel senior vice president and general manager, told Travel Market Report.

The multi-channel ad campaign, in print and digital media, aims to get consumers, and American Express cardholders, to realize the travel values and perks they can get in whatever channel they book, and consumers these days use all channels – in person, online and telephone, noted Bennett.

The ad promoting the in-person channel, the travel agent, is what American Express Travel is most excited about, said Bennett. “Really, I think the ads make the agents the hero again by talking about what’s great about the overall service consumers can expect to receive from agents.”

The industry has had a lot of price and value messages, especially during the recession, but American Express, said Bennett, “has never felt the customer has to choose between great value or service. They can have both.”

The ad promoting travel agents has the title: “On her dream cruise, Diana Brost forgot her sunglasses, her toothbrush and her Travel Specialist.”

This copy follows: “When Diana Brost was arranging a luxury cruise around the Caribbean Islands, she didn’t book her trip with American Express Travel Services. So she left behind 24/7 world-class service and expertise from an American Express Travel Specialist. So when the last flight home was canceled, Diana slept on an airport floor instead of on an actual bed in an actual hotel room. Don’t do what Diana did.”

This is the first time in memory that the nearly 100-year-old Amex is promoting travel agents and “that is why we are excited,” said Bennett.

Bennett said that while the campaign highlights American Express travel agents and those in its Representative Network, she believes that the promotions can have residual positive effects for the retail industry in general by calling consumers’ attention to the services that travel agents provide, and increasing the agency profile in the marketplace.

“We are a leader in the industry and it is appropriate that we talk about agents. It’s important to remind consumers that they do not have to compromise between value and service,” she said.

Bennett added that American Express’ research shows that customers are multichannel users, going back and forth among the three booking channels. As for Amex, the new campaign promotes its “leadership in all three of those channels,” said Bennett.

In addition to the ad promoting travel agent services, American Express Travel is running two other ads: one promoting membership points to gain – along with the personal services – by booking with Amex travel.

The third ad promotes the benefits of the company’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program that customers can get when booking via Amex.

Bennett said, “We have great value across all three channels. Most of our OTA competitors are good in one. With travel picking up again, it’s time to get our message in front of customers and tell our story. We have value proposition we think no one can beat.”