Case Study - Thomas Cook

Background:
Thomas Cook TV (Channel 655) launched on the Sky Digital platform in December 2001. Broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the channel features programmes on destinations from Mexico to Majorca and provides editorial overviews and detailed resort information alongside specific offers and late deals. The channel is run for Thomas Cook by the etv media group and aims to drive sales to Thomas Cook’s call centres, shops and website.

In Spring 2000, Thomas Cook began to investigate broadcast TV opportunities. Research showed that around 3% of all overseas package holidays were being purchased through two pre-existing travel shopping channels while Teletext had captured 14% of the market (although almost entirely in late and distressed inventory).

The Thomas Cook TV team reached the conclusion that launching a wholly owned branded channel offered the greatest opportunity and best fitted the company’s business objectives. After a wide consultation, the etv media group was chosen to manage and produce the channel because in the client’s words, ‘they listened to what we wanted to achieve and then worked with us to refine the proposition and then brought it to screen on time and on budget.’ Thomas Cook and the etv media group have forged a successful business partnership that now extends across digital television, broadband web and mobile platforms delivering relevant and informative video content that inspires it’s audience.

Objectives:
Thomas Cook TV business objectives:

• To attract and capture customers earlier in the buying process by "selling the dream" through showing holiday destinations on television
• To drive sales to all three Thomas Cook booking channels – high street, call centres and via the web
• To promote and enhance the Thomas Cook brand
• To develop video content for multiple use

Mechanic:
The etv media group launched the channel from a standing start in four and a half months filming 35 destinations and 400 hotels and building a library, production and broadcast infrastructure to support the channel’s launch.

This was just to get on air. On an on-going basis we continue to produce and manage Thomas Cook TV from our studios in Vauxhall, London. Our services include:

• Researching and managing location visits
• Location shooting
• Script-writing, studio filming and producing all programmes
• Creating all the graphic and music elements of the channel
• Post-production
• Shooting and producing all the channels interstitial material, promotions and advertisements
• Managing distribution and transmission of the channel
• Working with Thomas Cook team to maximise commercial returns
• On-going project management
• Providing strategic advice on channel developments
• Digital asset management
• Web, mobile and vodcast production and delivery
• In-flight and in-store television
• Live Pricing Solution – the etv media group has implemented a complex technical solution which allows real-time holiday prices to be inserted on the channel by Thomas Cook staff to maximise revenue and sales.

Results:
Thomas Cook has now integrated television and video as a key component into its business strategy and sees digital media as a key growth area in its marketing and sales development.

Since launch, Thomas Cook TV has also won numerous awards including Broadcast Magazines’ Best Transactional Channel as well as a number of awards for the broadband website.