It is the latest of
Peck Sims Mueller's major clients
to opt to go elsewhere

By Peter Wagner
Star-Bulletin

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts has found a new lead advertising firm, Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown, to replace Peck Sims Mueller Inc. in January.

The $150 million, Florida-based agency was picked from four candidates under review by the Outrigger last month.

"Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown gives us a world-class marketing partner that is in closer touch with our North American customers," said Rob Solomon, Outrigger senior vice president of sales and marketing.

Honolulu-based Peck Sims has lost a number of major clients recently, prompting Outrigger to look elsewhere as well.

"Unfortunately there were a lot of internal changes going on at Peck Sims and we needed to take a benchmark of who they were and where they were going," said Solomon.

Peck Sims' executives did not return several calls seeking comment.

Solomon noted that when McDonalds of Hawaii, among the first to leave, pulled its account, Outrigger took a hard look at the situation.

"It's kind of a domino situation and when the dominoes start falling you don't want to be the last to pull out."

Solomon said it was an opportune time to look for a new agency because of the Outrigger's growth into new markets.

"We wanted to take inventory of new destinations and originator markets to see who could help us where."

Solomon also said the Outrigger's advertising dollars are mostly spent on the mainland, where half of its customers come from. While the Outrigger's policy has been to use local resources where possible, it was felt that a mainland presence was important, he said.

"We're an international account with advertising efforts in North America, Asia and Europe, and a growing portfolio of properties throughout the Pacific," Solomon said.

"No single agency will be able to meet all our needs."

Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown has a staff of 150, with offices in Orlando, St. Petersburg, New York and Phoenix. The company plans to open an office in Honolulu.

Clients include Universal Studios, Wyndham Resorts, Doubletree Hotels, St. Maarten Tourism Board, Swissotel Worldwide, Carnival Hotels & Resorts and Amtrak.

Outrigger Hotels, the largest Hawaii-based hotel chain, has 29 properties here and in the Marshall Islands. It has projects under construction in Palau, Guam, French Polynesia, and Fiji.