CSB_078-079_ThomasCook:250 x 342 15/6/09 07:40 Page 78 SUPERBRANDS 2009/10 superbrands.uk.com Since Thomas Cook’s inaugural trip in 1841, his name has come to represent a pioneering approach to tourism. Introducing the first overseas package tour in 1855, today Thomas Cook takes six million British holidaymakers abroad each year. Thomas Cook Group plc has a network of more than 3,400 stores across 21 countries and over 22.3 million customers, making it one of the world’s leading leisure groups. the pioneer of popular tourism, Thomas Cook described himself as “the willing and devoted servant of the travelling public” and today the company maintains many of his original values. Market such as Thomas Cook, Airtours, Cruise Formed from the merger with MyTravel Group Thomas Cook and Direct Holidays as well It is an approach that has stood the company in 2007, the new Thomas Cook Group delivered as niche brands including Thomas Cook in good stead, with several Thomas Cook strong results in its first full year of trading; Signature, Cresta and Club 18-30, it is able to brands recognised with industry accolades against an unsettled economic backdrop, it has offer a holiday or service to suit a myriad of in 2008/09. Its retail network was named laid firm foundations for the future. To maintain tastes and budgets. The Group recently added Large Travel Retailer of the Year at the British its industry-leading margins, the Group’s focus hotels4u.com, Elegant Resorts, Gold Medal Travel Awards and Thomas Cook was named lies on continued tailoring of its offering to and Med Hotels to its portfolio, increasing its Favourite Package Holiday Provider at the 2009 meet the needs of its customers. profile in the rapidly expanding independent Globe Travel Awards. Furthermore, Thomas travel sector. Cook Airlines was listed as the Most Punctual In the UK and Ireland, Thomas Cook continues Charter Airline for the winter 2008/09 season to deliver strong results in a market where Through Thomas Cook Sport – the largest UK (Source: Flightontime.info February 2009). capacity has been reduced by around 25 per provider of team and supporter travel – sports cent over the last two years. packages to major sporting events around the Thomas Cook scooped two awards at the world are on offer, as are holiday clubs for inaugural Econsultancy Innovation Awards Product supporters of more than 60 UK football clubs. for ecommerce activity: winner of Innovation Thomas Cook boasts a diverse portfolio of in Online Conversion, thanks to a personalised brands that continue to evolve in line with Achievements approach to user activity on its website; and changing market trends and consumer buying In November 2008, Thomas Cook celebrated winner of Innovation in Email Marketing, for habits. Through its leading mainstream brands the 200th birthday of its founder. Regarded as its interactive magazine, Holiday Hotspot. 1841 1855 1872/73 1874 1939 2003 Thomas Cook’s first Thomas Cook’s first Cook guides the first Cook’s Circular Note, Holidays by air on Thomas Cook excursion, a rail journey continental tour takes place: around-the-world tour the first travellers’ chartered aircraft rebrands its airline from Leicester to a Cook leads two parties from and is away from home cheque, is launched are included in the to Thomas Cook temperance meeting Harwich to Antwerp, then for 222 days, covering in New York. summer brochure and launches a in Loughborough, on to Brussels, Cologne, more than 25,000 miles. for the first time. tour-operating brand takes place. Frankfurt, Heidelberg, under the same name. Strasbourg and Paris. CSB_078-079_ThomasCook:250 x 342 3/6/09 10:49 Page 79 THOMAS COOK The company not only works towards bureaux across Manchester Airport and Cook TV. Press, radio, television, outdoor providing an award-winning offering for its Heathrow’s Terminal 5. and point-of-sale merchandising are also customers but is also committed to being a used alongside a significant direct marketing responsible business; Thomas Cook works With more than 1.5 million passengers in programme to communicate with new and with the Travel Foundation, contributing the UK opting to holiday at sea every year, existing customers. towards sustainable tourism projects cruising has become one of the fastest worldwide and in January 2009 launched its growing holiday choices – doubling its share Campaigns for core holiday products are own charity, The Thomas Cook Foundation. of foreign inclusive package holidays over based around the key sales periods of post- A major part of the foundation is the Thomas the past 10 years. Cruise Thomas Cook is Christmas and high season summer months. Cook Children’s Charity, raising money for the biggest selling cruise retailer in the UK, Tactical activity is increasingly used throughout sick and disadvantaged children. accounting for one in every seven bookings the year, particularly in growth areas like made by UK passengers in 2008. independent travel and financial services Prior to this, Thomas Cook raised £2.3 million which are less seasonally driven. In 2009, to refurbish the critical care wards in the Promotion for example, Thomas Cook Foreign Exchange Variety Club’s Children’s Hospital at King’s Created in 1984 by advertising agency Wells sponsored ITV’s Saturday night primetime College Hospital, London. Following three Rich Greene, ‘Don’t just book it. Thomas Cook show, The Colour of Money. years of customer donations and the it’ rapidly became one of Britain’s best-known fundraising efforts of its employees, the advertising slogans. Indeed, in research Brand Values Thomas Cook Critical Care Centre opened carried out by YouGov in 2008, 60 per cent of Committed to keeping the customer at the its doors in 2008. respondents could complete the strapline, with heart of everything it does, Thomas Cook this recall rising to 75 per cent in the 35-44 age believes that its people are its greatest asset Recent Developments bracket. Last used in the 1990s, the strapline and key differentiator in a highly competitive Thomas Cook himself invented the Circular was reintroduced in 2008 and ran alongside marketplace. Note in 1874 – the forerunner to the travellers’ the company’s 24-hour money back guarantee cheque – and today the company is placing which was promoted in Thomas Cook’s A modern, forward-thinking business dedicated renewed focus on ancillary services including January campaign. to finding new ways in which to pioneer, foreign exchange, the Thomas Cook credit Thomas Cook takes pride in its heritage and card and travel insurance. Every Thomas Thomas Cook actively markets its ‘four ways trusted brand to drive results and add value. Cook store offers a travel money service to book’ message – driving customers to its and the Group operates 17 foreign exchange stores, sales centre, online and to Thomas thomascook.com Things you didn’t know about Thomas Cook Thomas Cook sold its first Ocean Cruise in 1875, on Bergen Line to the North Cape and Midnight Sun. Thomas Cook & Son transported the British Army relief force sent to rescue General Gordon from Khartoum in 1884. 2007 2008 Thomas Cook was the first UK Thomas Cook Also in 2007, Thomas The Thomas Cook Also in 2008, Thomas company to introduce online Group plc is formed Cook UK & Ireland Children’s Critical Care Cook reintroduces holiday bookings, in 1997. after merging with becomes a FTSE 100 Centre officially opens its classic slogan, MyTravel Group. company listed on the at King’s College ‘Don’t just book it. Thomas Cook’s first high street London Stock Exchange Hospital, London. Thomas Cook it’. shop was in Fleet Street – there are for the first time in the now more than 800 stores in the UK. company’s history..