Etihad - Runway To Runway

Etihad - Runway To Runway

Last year Etihad struck a major, longterm fashion sponsorship deal with WME – IMG (a powerhouse talent agency representing athletes and artists across multiple areas of sport and media platforms) that would see the airline supporting no less than 17 major fashion events globally.

This strategic partnership was designed to increase Etihad’s visibility in the fashion industry, important because fashion designers, buyers, models and executives are known for spending big on near-constant travel.

“Very few industries travel as much as the fashion industry does, spending millions annually,” said Etihad VP of Sponsorships, Patrick Pierce.

This month, in an extension of its fashion industry integration efforts and in celebration of New York Fashion Week, Etihad has announced a new loyalty programme for fashion industry professionals and fashion enthusiasts.

The “Runway to Runway” scheme is designed to provide the jet-set fashion industry with practical benefits like discounted airfare, special group travel rates, increase luggage limits and cargo deals (for equipment and materials), lounge access, inflight upgrade like Wi-Fi and even invites to special industry events.

The loyalty programme has different tiers. Anyone can join up for Guest status, while those in the fashion industry can apply online for Silver status, leaving Gold status for invited VIP’s only.

On February 9th the airline partnered with Moda Operandi, a top online retailer of haute-couture fashion, for a New York Fashion Week Dinner to promote the Runway to Runway project. Top fashion editors and influencers were invited and each one gifted a business class roundtrip ticket to Abu Dhabi.

Also celebrating New York Fashion week, Lufthansa held a mid-air fashion show recently under the hashtag #FashionFlight.

On a Boeing 747-8 headed for New York, one aisle was converted to a catwalk and vintage air hostess uniforms were modelled. For passengers without a good view of the action, the whole thing was streamed to mobile devices using Board- Connect, Lufthansa Group’s own IFE streaming system.

A #FashionFlight contest was also run by the airline, with winners getting prizes like flight vouchers and gift cards to shop at different fashion retailers.

Key Take-Away

The ‘creative class’, or subset of young professionals who strive for creative freedom, adventure and financial success in their work life is emerging as a major target market for brands that want to win over the discerning, and sometimes mystifying, millennial consumer.

Showcasing your fun and creative side by partnering with hip and trendy brands, or industries, is a good strategy to reach to this demographic in a meaningful way.