BY DAVID RANII – STAFF WRITER
Raleigh-based French/West/Vaughan intends to announce today that it has been tapped to handle worldwide marketing needs for 1800hotels.com.

The Dublin, Ireland-based company, which offers discount hotel rates online, plans to spend about $11 million over the next 12 months on marketing, with the biggest piece going toward advertising, said Rick French, French/West’s founder and CEO. The agency also will provide public relations and other services as 1800hotels’ agency of record.

“We are charting the strategy for them worldwide,” said French. “It is a big piece of business for us.”

1800hotels is the No. 1 Web site for hotel bookings in the United Kingdom but didn’t enter the U.S. market until about a year ago. U.S. sales “are literally doubling on a month-to-month basis,” French said.

French said 1800hotels is one of the two largest advertising clients for the 70-person agency, which is best-known for its public relations work.

The agency recently hired three new employees to handle the extra advertising work from 1800hotels and other new clients, including local Moe’s Southwest Grill franchises. It also expects to make three more hires soon, French said.

1800hotels’ competitors include sites such as Travelocity and Orbitz, although those sites also offer flights, rental cars and other services for travelers.

Travelocity’s ad agency is Durham-based McKinney, by far the largest ad agency in the Triangle.

“It will be a friendly rivalry,” said French. “We have great admiration for McKinney as an agency.”

French/West generated $12 million in revenue last year, down 9 percent compared to 2008 as a result of the recession, according to the agency. French said business has picked up significantly in the last three months.

Related posts:

1. Promote your Company with the aid of Design Agency North West. One thing more.
2. Promote your Company with aid from Design Agency North West.
3. Advertise your Company with aid from Design Agency North West.
4. Advertise your Company with the aid of Design Agency North West.
5. Promote your Company with the assistance of Design Agency North West.