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Interactive media agency Avenue A, an operating unit of Seattle-based aQuantive Inc., recently took on three new clients to direct their online advertising efforts.

Avenue A will provide Hawaiian Airlines, Holland America Line, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Web advertising, media buying and planning, search- engine marketing, advanced analytics and customer targeting. Budgets and specific advertising initiatives for the three companies were not disclosed.

“We can never give specifics about our clients' independent strategies. I can tell you that on the whole, the travel industry places great emphasis on search-engine marketing and Web advertising on travel-influenced sites,” said Angela Gamba, aQuantive's director of public relations. “Web advertising consists of both banner and rich-media ads. When used in combination they can have a significant impact on the lift of an online campaign.”

About 18 percent of Avenue A's billings in the first quarter were on travel properties. Last year Avenue A's total billings amounted to some $240 million.

The travel industry accounted for roughly 25 percent of U.S. online advertising spending in the first six months of 2003, according to a recent report from TNS Media Intelligence/CMR. Only consumer services outranked travel marketing on the Internet.

“Hawaiian Airlines has established a track record of meeting customer demand, and having Avenue A on board will further enhance our online initiatives,” said Gordon Locke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the Honolulu-based carrier, in a statement.

Last October Avenue A was chosen by Alaska Airlines to bring “Alaska's Spirit” to the Internet through digital marketing services, including creative by way of its sister agency i-Frontier of Philadelphia. This allowed Avenue A to provide the client both media and creative under one roof.

“Our experience with Alaska Air has informed much of our strategy for Hawaiian Air,” Gamba said. “For instance, the use of both geographic and behavioral targeting has proven successful for both clients.

“Avenue A and i-Frontier operate as separate agencies, but i-Frontier is known for cutting-edge creative and Web site development capabilities, so many Avenue A clients use i-Frontier in this capacity.”

Gamba added that Holland America Line uses i-Frontier for all its online creative, and Hawaiian Air has tapped i-Frontier for some project work.

“Today's travelers increasingly begin their journey online,” said Judy Palmer, vice president for marketing communications at Holland America Line, Seattle. “Avenue A's experience in reaching travel customers online made [it] the right choice to reach out to new customers.”