Advertising Giant Hearts & Science Secures Virgin Voyages' $65 Million International Media Contract
Ditching GroupM for Hearts & Science: Virgin Voyages' Unexpected Change
Last month, Richard Branson's grown-up's only cruise line, Virgin Voyages, made a surprising move in its global media game. After a quick review of their media business, they chose GroupM's EssenceMediacom to manage their account. But things didn't go as planned.
Before jumping ship, Virgin Voyages had a change of heart and decided to stay put with one of their existing agency networks, Omnicom Media Group (OMG). Now, the tech-savvy media agency Hearts & Science handles their business.
Prior to this shift, Hearts & Science was managing Virgin Voyages' media in the U.K., while the cruise line also collaborated with OMG's performance agency, Resolution Media, in some markets. With Hearts & Science now onboard, the consolidated global media business is worth a cool $65 million, as per COMvergence data.
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EssenceMediacom politely declined Adweek's invitation to discuss this development, but a reliable industry source hints at a falling out during the transition. Apparently, unanticipated operational challenges popped up, causing them to part ways.
It's all hearsay, but often, such decisions are driven by factors like cost-cutting, improved service offerings, or strategic compatibility. Without explicit details, it's tough to pinpoint the exact reasons for this unexpected switch. If you've got more details or context, I'd be happy to delve deeper and uncover more insights!
- In a surprising turn of events, Virgin Voyages, the grown-up's only cruise line, decided to stay with Omnicom Media Group (OMG) after initially choosing GroupM's EssenceMediacom to manage their account.
- Despite being responsible for Virgin Voyages' media operations in the U.K., it was the tech-savvy media agency Hearts & Science, another agency within Omnicom, that now handles their global business.
- The consolidated global media business for Virgin Voyages is now worth an estimated $65 million, according to COMvergence data.
- While EssenceMediacom declined to discuss the reasons behind this development, industry sources suggest a possible falling out during the transition, with unanticipated operational challenges potentially leading to their parting ways.
