Portland Direct calls review

Portland Direct, the direct-selling holiday company owned by the

Thomson Travel Group, is planning to call a review of its pounds 2

million advertising account.

The account is held by McCann-Erickson Manchester, which is expected to

be invited to repitch along with the other roster agencies, HHCL &

Partners and Mustoe Merriman Herring Levy.

The review is expected to take place at the start of next year and

signals a decision by Thomson to boost its promotion of the Portland

brand, which uses press advertising and DRTV. A source predicts the

travel company will spend pounds 7 million on advertising.

Karen Humphries, Portand Direct’s marketing communications manager,

would not confirm the plans, but said: ’Any agency relationship is

always under review. At this point in time, we have not issued a brief

or spoken to any agencies.’ Humphries joined Portland from the

MacManus-owned IMP in March.

McCann-Erickson Manchester has developed a heavyweight direct marketing

campaign for Portland that will run over the Christmas period.