Airline Marketing Campaigns

Delta CarePod for pets

United of course did not have the best year from 2017-2018, due to a number of crises and customer service issues, most notably the Dr David Dao incident.

Adding to United’s problem at the time and contributing to much of the negative publicity it received, was question marks over how it dealt with pets, with media reports showing the airline being top for pet deaths among US carriers.

How an airline cares for animals, especially household pet matters, and as was the case with United it could turn into a huge reputational issue.

Delta has recognised this with the launch of what it calls a ‘a new best-in-class travel experience for pets and their owners.’

This comes as Delta has introduced a new pet travel carrier called CarePod, which it claims sets new pet safety and care standards.

Features include stronger walls that insulate against sudden temperature changes, the world’s first in built hydration system, holding up to a litre of water in a ‘spill proof’ bowl, and a GPS tracking and monitoring system connecting a pet’s journey directly to the specialized Delta Cargo Control Center.

Delta also says that the carrier includes ‘seamless connectivity’ meaning you can use your mobile phone to receive key travel updates throughout the entire journey of the pet.

Delta - Same Flight

At the end of February, Delta released a new brand campaign called ‘Same Flight.’

Delta says that its latest brand campaign stems from the idea that ‘while customs and beliefs around the world are wonderfully varied and unique, travel has the power to help us gain a greater perspective on our commonalities and all that connects us.’

“We encounter different languages, beliefs, customs – the list goes on – among our customers and employees every day,” said Molly Battin, Delta’s V.P. – Marketing Communications.

“The things that make us different and unique are truly beautiful and add perspective to everything we do. Equally impactful are the connections we can make with one another and the realization that we are more alike than we are different. We hope this video inspires people to venture out into the world and explore all that we share.”

Delta says that “Same Flight” is the latest in a series of efforts that highlight the airline’s ongoing commitment to bringing people together. The brand campaign will run on broadcast, digital and social channels throughout the year.

Etihad - River blindness campaign

Etihad has teamed up with English premier league football club Manchester City (which it sponsors) on a fundraising initiative to end the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), river blindness.

The Reach Campaign, backed by the airline, will launch this month in the UAE and will expand to a global audience in a bid to wipe out the disease. The campaign will be two pronged, focusing on fundraising and education.

More than 200 million people currently require treatment for the disease, which is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness. Like many NTDs, river blindness disproportionately affects the world’s poorest people, trapping their families in cycles of poverty.

As a founding partner, Etihad is leveraging its platforms in support of both fundraising and promotional activities.

SAUDIA new uniforms

Saudia Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) has announced the rollout of its new cabin crew uniforms, starting on the airline’s Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Heathrow routes, with plans to add the rest of the airline’s route network before midnext year.

SAUDIA says that the new cabin crew look and image is part of an overall package of cabin enhancements, which reflects its global expansion in recent years.

The new uniforms feature a color palette that includes shades and hues of purple, beige, gold and royal blue. Arabesque designs and accents feature all throughout defined touches, from the pins to the ladies’ scarf, fabrics, signature blazers and more.

Inspiration from the nation’s culture and landscapes influenced the new designs, encompassing the heritage, colors and identity of Saudi Arabia.

A consortium of designers and product specialists within the airline designed the new custom SAUDIA cabin crew apparel, which took roughly 18 months from design concept phase to launch. In the development phase of the uniform, SAUDIA also incorporated input from team members.

Previously, SAUDIA made slight modifications to the previous uniform look in 2012 for the gentlemen, and 2014 for ladies. This represents a full revitalized look from the name badge, to cuff links, belts, suit, hat, pin, shoes and travel bag.

Emirates - All women crew on a SkyCargo 777

To mark International Women’s Day, Emirates released a video that follows an all-women flight deck crew operating multi-stop cargo flights across four continents on Emirates SkyCargo’s Boeing 777 freighter aircraft.

Captain Ellen Roz from the United States and First Officer Heidi McDiarmid from Australia covered close to 30,000kms in 10 days on five freighter flights from Frankfurt to Mexico City onwards to Quito, Aguadilla, Amsterdam and finally to Dubai transporting over 300 tonnes of cargo ranging from fresh flowers and fruits to pharmaceuticals.

The two pilots were also joined by Captain Heather Wolf from Canada for operating the flight from Frankfurt to Mexico City.

We’re not sure if the choice of cargo, rather than passenger aircraft was in any way covid-19 related, but there is of course a supplementary message there, beyond the importance of encouraging more women to take up aviation careers. Namely that even when people are uncertain about flying, airlines still have a vital role in the global economy.

Air New Zealand, Skynest

Air New Zealand has revealed a prototype for economy beds, which may in future be introduced on the airline’s new 17+ hour Auckland - New York flights.

If introduced, each Economy Skynest can accommodate six sleeping pods. Looking like something out of a Japanese capsule hotel, it is intended that each pod will include a full-size pillow, sheets and blanket, ear plugs along with privacy curtains and lighting designed for sleep.

Air New Zealand says that it is exploring other features such as separate reading light, personal device USB outlet and ventilation outlet.

As a piece of PR activity, it worked exceptionally well. Media outlets that covered the announcement include CNN, the Financial Times, Fast Company, Sam Chui and the Daily Mail among others.

But is there more than PR to it? Air New Zealand didn’t definitely commit themselves to introducing the Skynest, which led some to wonder how serious it really was.

For example, UK based travel editor Jill Starley-Grainger, had this to say about it:

Seems like another PR stunt that the airlines hope will make them seem friendly to us mere mortals in cattle class, but that they know they won’t have to deliver on. It would be nice to be wrong, in this case, but I do question the point of these “we might do this” press releases. Why not actually do it - as they always do for Business and First - then put out the press release?

Air New Zealand says that it has filed patent applications and that it will make a final decision on whether to operate the Economy Skynest next year.

Aegean Airlines - New livery

On February 12th, Greece’s Aegean Airlines released its new logo, new colors and new Neo 320 aircraft during an event gathering 600 people in Athens.

The airline says that the new design is ‘inspired by the Greek sky and seas, historical architecture and the design heritage of our country.’

In addition to the exterior of the aircraft, the interior is also receiving an overhaul from the seat design to the on-board branding.

Aegean worked with London branding agency Priestman Goode on the project, whose work on the campaign spanned everything from logo design, livery, graphic items and digital products to cabin interiors including soft items, amenity kits and meal services.

Ryanair and Lombardy

Announced before the coronavirus hit Northern Italy, Ryanair issued a press release touting the results from its joint campaign with the Lombardy Region.

It said that a six week campaign in the Autumn had seen reservations London Stansted to Milan Bergamo grow by 26% compared to the previous year, while the route to Milan Malpensa saw an increase of 43% for the same period.

More than 3,000 direct reservations were generated by dedicated channels, while the visibility on social media received 3.8 million impressions and a total reach of 2.4 million.

The campaign appears to have included a mix of digital, social media and influencer relations.

The airline says that it utilized its Try somewhere New content platform – a story telling project that offers alternative travel experiences – to promote Lombardy’s destinations, with journalist and travel-blogger testimonials.

Promotional activities also included the organization of family trips with travel consumer journalists and influencers from the United Kingdom. The 4 pillars of the campaign (culture, food and wine, wellness and winter sports) were the focus of several promotional videos.

We’re assuming this has now been postponed but Ryanair said that a social media and digital advertising campaign has been launched, which will run three contests on Instagram and Facebook with a total of 6 winners – who will explore the Lombardy region in the months between April and June.