Lastminute.com appoints BBH to be 'bigger and better'

Lastminute.com is planning a major advertising and marketing overhaul to go back to its roots, appointing BBH to develop a new brand platform for key European markets to tap into a fresh rise in late bookings.

The growth in the sector has been fuelled by a number of factors affecting consumers, including increased financial pressures, geopolitical uncertainties and the unreliable climate.

The agency has already started working on the brief, with the first campaign due to launch this summer.

In the initial meetings, BBH ran in-depth analysis of the category, what to avoid, how to stand out, and how to make a virtue of the lastminute.com name.

Founded in London in 1998 by Brent Hoberman and Martha Lane Fox, the company witnessed exponential growth and by 2005 it was valued at £577m when it was acquired by Sabre Holdings. However, within a decade it was sold again, this time for £76m, to Swiss-based Bravofly Rumbo Group, which changed its name to Lastminute.com Group.

From 2024, the group has pursued AI personalisation, automated customer service and dynamic packaging optimisation, while its partners offer 3.3 million accommodations, with over 400 airlines and transportation suppliers.

Mobile bookings now account for an estimated 45-55% of European transactions, while metasearch remains a primary acquisition channel.

BBH takes over from Trouble Maker, which devised the “Never Too Late to Book” brand platform. Produced by Aggy Media, the most recent actvity centred on the fact that, despite holidays being one of the most important times of the year, the act of booking is often deprioritised as life, work, kids, and second-guessing get in the way.

The brand, known for shifting to an in-house model for media, has also worked with Publicis London, Adam & Eve/DDB, and OMD.

Lastminute.com head of brand Zoë Fidler said: “It’s an exciting time at lastminute.com. Last minute booking behaviour is increasing, our customer base is growing and we are in prime position to take on a category full of tropes.

“BBH fully embraced tackling this challenge from the first meeting we had. They immersed themselves in our audience and their zag philosophy is exactly what we need for the next stage of our growth. We are excited to be working together and cannot wait to see what 2026 holds for our partnership.”

BBH deputy chief strategy officer Saskia Jones added: “There’s not many brands you come across that have managed to not only become part of the vernacular, but who are also at their core, a zag in the category.

“With big growth ambitions the opportunity to take what made lastminute.com great in the first place and use that to make them bigger and better in 2026 and beyond, is banging and we can’t wait to get started.”