Motel wins Riviera Travel creative account.

River cruise and tour operator Riviera Travel has picked Motel to handle its creative account following a competitive pitch.

Motel takes over from Kitchen, which worked with Riviera Travel for six years. Kitchen did not repitch for the business.

The review, which came to light in April, was handled directly by the brand.

Katy Potten, head of brand strategy at Riviera Travel, said: “We are entering an exciting chapter for Riviera Travel. Our focus is on building an impactful, new creative platform that truly resonates with the next generation of travellers.

“Motel brings the consumer insight and experience needed to help us build deeper emotional connections with both our loyal guests and new audiences alike.”

Following its appointment, Motel will create a new global platform positioning and campaign for the brand.

Matt Luscombe, chief executive of Riviera Travel, added: “Marketing is a vital pillar of our business strategy as we drive forward our ambitious five year growth plan. To launch this next phase, it is essential that we elevate the Riviera Travel brand, making it more visible and compelling than ever before.

“Motel is the ideal partner to kickstart this ambition, bringing the creative edge and energy we need to stand out clearly in the market and make an immediate impact on a global scale.”

Motel’s other clients include JD Williams, Fever-Tree, Jacamo, and Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

Rob Smith, founder and CEO of Motel, said: “When we first met Katy and the team, we came away feeling we’d work brilliantly together. Riviera is a brand perfectly placed to stand out in a category that has become, literally, a sea of same and their ambition is ideally suited Motel’s ‘thinking from the edge of town’.”