Etihad Airways Partner (EAP) airlines Etihad Airways, Alitalia, Air Berlin and Jet Airways have announced that Starcom, part of Starcom Mediavest Group, has won the contract to become the airline group’s new global media agency, following a joint tender sent to several leading agency networks.

Starcom was selected by EAP to deliver scaled benefits by aligning media spending power across key markets and to provide added value and centralized strategic advice and planning to meet the unique commercial needs of the airline grouping.

Shane O’Hare, Etihad Airways’ senior vice-president of marketing, says in a press statement: “Starcom demonstrated that they fully understand the emerging media scene which has digital media at its core. Their highly experienced team, resources, planning tools and buying clout in all the key EAP markets gave them a clear edge in the tender. The depth of the relationships within the EAP allows us to go even further with our joint media strategy alignment, and will allow Starcom to maximise returns on our collective investment and to ensure that each unique brand experience is brought to life with optimum exposure on a global scale.”

Starcom will service the EAP airlines in key hubs in the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Italy and India, with central coordination from their EMEA head office in London.

Matt Blackborn, President, Investment and Diversification at Starcom Mediavest Group, adds: “This is a unique client brief and relationship as it brings together multiple brands from the same industry and is ground-breaking in the agency world. We look forward to servicing Etihad Airways Partners through a unified approach that integrates connections, content, data and technology.”