VisitScotland puts off ad review until next year
1576 has had its contract with VisitScotland extended until April next year because the organisation has postponed its review process.
The agency that wins the review will begin working on the business in April next year with the review process now scheduled to begin this September.
Despite industry rumours that the client changed the schedule because of the knock-on effects of foot and mouth disease and the events of September 11, the client said it simply did not want to rush the procedure.
A spokeswoman for VisitScotland said: "We're completing a lot of work on the branding of Scotland and we're also getting a new brand marketing manager soon so we didn't want to rush the review."
It is believed that plans were in place to start the review process last summer but the Rod Lynch fiasco and the appointment of a replacement chief executive saw that plan being abandoned.
VisitScotland is currently undergoing an internal restructure following the appointment of Malcolm Roughead as marketing director.
Meanwhile, VisitScotland last week launched £1.5m of new campaigns aimed at attracting visitors to Scotland from France, Germany and Belgium. The campaign emphasises the new Superfast Ferries direct service.
The three countries make up VisitScotland's key European market and are worth a combined annual £113m to Scottish tourism.