Pacific Blue makeover calls for new stylist

Darren Wright is looking for out-of-the-box thinking from his ad agency.

Upstart budget airline Pacific Blue has decided to fly with a new advertising agency as it continues efforts to build its local profile in the crowded skies.

The carrier has dumped Wellington agency Frank in favour of Auckland-based Lowe after what Pacific Blue describes as "an informal pitch process".

Pacific Blue is a subsidiary of Australia's Virgin Blue, which is 25 per cent owned by marketing maestro Richard Branson's Virgin empire.

Lowe will also handle advertising for sister brand Polynesian Blue.

Virgin Blue marketing manager Darren Wright said he approached Lowe after being impressed by the agency's Vodafone and Lotteries Commission work.

"The airline is changing direction. It's been in the market for two years now. We're looking at putting a new strategy into the marketplace and we really wanted an agency that was capable of handling the business from a tactical retail level but also a brand strategy level," he said.

"Frank wasn't quite the fit at that stage. They did a really great job for us as a smaller airline but, as we're growing, we've decided we needed an agency that's more capable of handling the business."

Ad-watchers can expect to see a typically offbeat Branson-style campaign from Lowe over the next few months.

"As a sister carrier of Virgin Blue, we required some out-of-the-box thinking that would really push the brand forward," Wright said.

"We've come here to put our stamp on the market and, as always with a Virgin brand, we're a bit of a category challenger. We like to come in and do things a little bit differently."

Wright declined to say what goals Pacific Blue had set itself in terms of market share on the cut-throat transtasman route that is being fought over by about a dozen airlines.

"We're still finding the market. Obviously, we want as much share as possible. We will slice a piece out of the pie, but our ultimate goal is to grow the pie to everyone's benefit."

Although the airline's advertising placement (managed by media agency Spark) would focus on television, newspaper, billboards and radio ads, Wright said it was also looking at the internet as a medium.

"Online is big for us in Australia, and I think it should be in New Zealand."