By Tom Degun

Prince_William_and_Kate_Middleton_engagementJanuary 13 - VisitBritain are to work with M&C Saatchi on a £100 million ($158 million) global marketing contract to promote major events in London, including the Royal Wedding later this year and the 2012 Games.


The advertising agency - formed by brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi in 1995 - is set to launch a campaign titled "You're Invited" which aims to tempt visitors to attend big British occasions.

As well as promoting the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29 and the London Olympics and Paralympics next year, Saatchi will also work on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 as part of the four-year deal.

Marketing director for Visit Britain, Laurence Bresh, said: "We are very excited to be working with one of the world's most creative agencies – alongside some of the greatest companies in the tourism industry - on this landmark campaign.

"Recruiting M&C Saatchi to work on this account underlines the scale of our ambition to produce the best tourism marketing campaign that has ever been mounted by a host nation around an Olympic Games."

The firm is said to be working pro bono for the initial five months of the contract and will cover social media management and development, campaign monitoring, research strategies and effectivity as well as digital advertising development and production.

The move comes after Prime Minister David Cameron last week announced that companies including British Airways, lastminute.com, P&O and hotel chains Radisson Edwardian and DFDS had vowed to match the Government's £50 million ($79 million) contribution to the marketing budget.

The pledges follow George Osbourne's budget cut of 34 per cent for VisitBritain over four years.

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