China's number two online travel service provider eLong has tapped Nitro China for its full communications brief, as the brand gears up for an assault on market leader, Ctrip.com.
The appointment marks the first time eLong — the China arm of global online travel service provider Expedia — has turned to an agency for its communications duties, and follows an exhaustive nine-month review process that involved up to ten unnamed shops.
Stephen Drummond, group managing director and head of planning for Nitro China, said the agency's immediate task was to evaluate the brand's strengths and weaknesses.
"It's very early days. Right now we need to complete a full audit of the brand, and really get a feel for the overall market, so we're not at the stage yet of finalising a campaign," he said.
Drummond added the main priorities facing the brand included tapping into the vast potential of the China travel market, and leveraging the strengths of Expedia.
"It's got a lot of gravitas in a brand and in a technology sense that comes from its links with Expedia, so that power is obviously something that can be utilised in many ways," he said.
"And, increasingly, Chinese consumers are travelling more and more outside China, so Expedia's connection will become even more relevant as well," Drummond added.