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ID Media, an Interpublic Group media agency, has been named the media agency of record for Lindblad Expeditions, the pioneer in expedition travel that voyages the world in alliance with National Geographic.
Founded in 1979 by Sven Olof-Lindblad, the company offers innovative and extraordinary educational adventures to some of the world’s most exotic and remote regions on a fleet of small expedition ships. Lindblad Expeditions blends adventure and creativity to deliver up-close, engaging encounters that foster a greater understanding and appreciation of nature’s wonders and the need to preserve them.
ID Media is working with Lindblad Expeditions to launch a multimedia campaign—rich in digital and print media elements—in early 2013. The campaign will focus on increasing interest in "eco-tourism" and expedition bookings.
The effort comes as consumer interest in leisure travel has continued to increase despite a sluggish economic outlook. Americans spent $564 billion on leisure travel in 2011, up 7% from the year prior, per the U.S. Travel Association.
Additionally, 40% of luxury travelers plan to spend more on travel this year, per a separate study by luxury marketing consultancy Unity Marketing. Experiential travel, in particular, is highly sought after by this group.
The partnership pairs two brands with strong track records in innovation, and also attests to ID Media’s strength in the travel sector.
The agency’s current roster of travel brands includes Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board and American Express’s Delta SkyMiles travel rewards card. In 2011, ID Media also became one of the inaugural agencies to partner with CBS’s EcoMedia, a first-of-its-kind, social change program that funds community causes via a portion of a marketers’ ad dollars.
Lindblad Expeditions, similarly, has pioneered expedition travel since Sven Olof-Lindblad’s father, Lars-Eric Lindblad, set out with a group of adventurers to places like Easter Island, the Amazon, Galapagos and Antarctica in the late 1950s. His passion to discover unknown places and share the unique cultural and environmental aspects of these destinations with others led many to consider him "the father of eco-tourism."
In 2004, Lindblad Expeditions teamed up with National Geographic, an alliance that spans research, technology and conservation.
"Innovation has always been part of Lindblad Expeditions’s lifeblood, and so, when looking for an agency partner, we sought a company that really understood, and better yet, embodied the spirit of our brand," says Elizabeth Crabill, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Lindblad Expeditions.
"Lindblad’s commitment to exploration extends from their core brand straight through to their marketing," notes Lynn Fantom, CEO of ID Media. "Whether it’s mobile, video, or the newest technologies to tap insights through data, they are there. We’re thrilled they have chosen us as their media partner."
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
