Sporting Glory for The Raft
agency to manage advertising, marketing and direct marketing for
Sports Tours International

Sports Tours International has appointed The Raft to manage all advertising, marketing and direct marketing.

Launched more than 20 years ago, Sports Tours International is the country’s leading tour operator focusing on sporting events and holidays and now takes almost 20,000 clients abroad each year on a variety of sporting holidays, either as spectators or participants.

In 2006 the company was appointed Official Tour Operator for Le Tour de France, as well as being Official Tour Operator for the ING New York Marathon and ‘overseas’ operator for the Flora London Marathon.

As well as Sports Tours International, The Raft has also been appointed to manage marketing and advertising for other divisions within the group including Sports Tours International Hospitality and the Golf Travel Club as well as helping to promote the company’s position as Official UK Tour Operator for Club La Santa in Lanzarote.

The account will be directed by Peter Stephenson, new Business Development Director at The Raft. He will oversee all online and offline activity with the first stage of the marketing campaign – magazine advertising, direct mail, e-marketing, online advertising and web development - kicking off this month.
Commenting on the decision to appoint The Raft Chris Bird, Chief Executive at Sports Tours International, said: “The Raft’s presentation was both impressive and refreshing. Their grasp of the strategic issues and opportunities across all four divisions demonstrated clarity of thinking and a desire to be integrated members of the team, something I consider vital for the growth of the business going forwards. The Raft are also creatively very strong, again a key consideration for us when appointing an agency.”
Peter Stephenson for The Raft said: “Sports Tours International – and its other sporting travel divisions – have been leading the way in taking both participants and spectators on fantastic sporting holidays and visits abroad for many years. We are very excited to be working with them closely to help them develop their business and their brands further, therefore allowing many more people to benefit from and enjoy the superb, professionally organised packages that they put together for their clients.
“I believe it is our creative strength coupled with our strategic understanding of their business and their development plans which has allowed us to take on this exciting new account,” continues Peter. “We are working very closely with the team at Sports Tours International as we execute the first stage of their new marketing campaign this month.”

This latest win follows hot on the heels of another major piece of new business for The Raft who announced last week that it had been appointed to develop creative branding and manage above the line advertising for MYA – Make Yourself Amazing, a new national cosmetic surgery business launched by former Transform founder John Ryan.

The Raft was founded in 2003 by ex-BDH\TBWA employees Phil Storton and Shaun Keefe and includes Creative Director Mark Gass, ex-Executive Creative Director of TBWA Hunt\ Lascaris of Durban, South Africa. Clients include SPAR International, Lex Vehicle Leasing, IKON Footwear, Seabrook Crisps and LateRooms.com.

In the first instance contact Peter Stephenson on email peter.stephenson@theraft.co.uk
or call 01625 547902