benchmark report
airline marketing
tv, print, ooh
all you need is love
slow tv BRITISH AIRWAYS
British Airways continues to make headlines with (pseudo) scientific-backed product and service innovations that double as PR. Following initiatives such as umamibased catering (Heston Blumenthal), ‘Hapiness Blankets’ (see the August edition of this repor t) and carrying out a ‘social experiment’ in the sky to test what toys kids prefer to play with inflight , BA last month launched a new IFE channel called ‘Slow TV’. Inspired by a trend popular in Scandinavia for its relaxing, undemanding qualities, the programmes feature gentle, everyday events such as knitting, walking and bird feeding. BA’s ‘slow range’ includes a seven-hour Norwegian train journey (video ) which shows tranquil images along a seven-hour
SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE
SOUTHWEST
Norwegian train journey from Oslo to Bergen. BA will also be showing relaxing footage of kittens and puppies on a channel called ‘Paws and Relax’ . Shows on the channel include animated car toon ‘Simon’s Cat’, ‘America’s Cutest Dog’, the BBC’s ‘Secret Life of Cats’ and animals from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, which are available for adoption. Says Richard D’Cruze, IFE manager at BA: “We discovered some scientific research that proves watching images of cute animals can actually lower your hear t rate and reduces stress levels. The programming initiative is aimed to sooth and enter tain children who can become disruptive from the strain of long distance travelling, but the programmes could be just as enjoyable for adults.”
Southwest Airlines is celebrating its ability to fly unfettered out of its hometown airport with a multifaceted campaign featuring an iconic song. The Wright Amendment, which imposed restrictions on flying out of Dallas’ Love Field Airport for 35 years - to protect business at the competing Dallas/Fort Worth International - expires this October. As a result, Southwest will add 15 new nonstop destinations in October and November from Love Field. The campaign features the Beatles classic “All You Need is Love” (as in Love Field) performed by indie pop band Echosmith. It includes four TV spots, hundreds of billboards , print and digital. Each 30-second ad informs viewers of the new non-stop flights resulting from the repeal of the Wright Amendment, while offering
up a different take on celebration. All spots end with the words: “Goodbye Wright Amendment. Hello America. 10.13.14.” ‘Water Cannon’ launched July 8 and features a colorful water cannon salute from out on the tarmac. ’Seventh Inning Stretch’ was filmed during a Texas Rangers preseason game. ’Love Moment’ , the most offbeat commercial of the bunch, captures a few seconds of Love Field activity in super slow-motion—which is exactly how time seems to pass when your flight’s been delayed. ’Fireworks’ shows airline passengers watching pyrotechnics from a plane. Each week Southwest is also featuring one of the new cities on its blog, written by a Southwest employee who is affiliated with the city and can give an insider’s view of what to see and do while visiting.
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EXPERIENTIAL SOCIAL DIGITAL TV, PRINT, OOH
