Horizon Media and mcgarrybowen have been selected to handle media and creative advertising chores by United Continental Holdings (UAL), the company confirmed. The client, which owns both United
Airlines and Continental Airlines spends about $100 million annually on ads.
In a press release that was issued earlier today, the client said it had named mcgarrybown as lead agency partner and
that the shop would partner with Horizon to execute the airline's marketing communications strategy, traditional and digital creative and media planning and buying.
Mark Bergsrud, senior vice
president of marketing stated that "selecting a new long-term agency partner with the depth, expertise and passion to help us advance the United brand is one of the most important marketing decision
we have made since closing the merger of United and Continental."
The other finalists in the review were Havas' Arnold, which teamed with sister agency MPG, and Omnicom's TBWA, which teamed
with PHD.
UAL said that the incumbents, Kaplan Thaler Group and Barrie D'Rozario Murphy were eliminated from contention before the final round.
The merger of the two airlines was finalized
last October.
The review process was managed by New York-based Bajkowski + Partners.