Expert markets see opportunities where others see problems. A quote from Mad Men (which we covered last month) sums this up well: "Advertising is based on one thing: happiness. And do you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of a road that screams with reassurance that whatever you're doing is OK. You are okay". In other words, one route to advertising success is to relieve, reassure, or excite the consumer.
Recently, the airline industry has been popular grounds for this type of marketing. Why? Its brimming with problems! The current media is utterly saturated with news detailing the woes of air travel, like long lines, sky high prices, cut routes, delays and cancellations. Consequently, some companies have wisely used these troubles to shape ad campaigns which tell the public (in the word's of Mad men), Air Travel is okay. You are okay!
Kraft provides a perfect example of this: In early spring, the brand teamed up with JetBlue to launch it's new reduced-fat cream cheese. In a truly unique, guerrilla style effort, Kraft brand reps dressed up as Angels on certain JetBlue flights and handed out "breakfast from heaven": free bagels with new reduced fat cream cheese to all the passengers aboard! They ended up giving away 500,000 breakfasts, and the campaign was documented across media outlets around the country. The question arises: Why did Kraft choose to launch the bagels in flights? There are unlimited other venues they could've chosen, like trains, sidewalks, parks, schools, etc. Well, for one, flights fit best with their "breakfast from heaven" idea. But beyond that, the breakfasts lightened up the experience of flying. For the passenger's aboard the plane as well as people who read about it, Kraft came off as a different, more fun food brand. ..They're the company that gives out free bagels to tired air travellers. Furthermore, their promotion of reduced fat cream cheese attacks another national problem: poor diets.
Jet Blue also doubtlessly benefited from Kraft's promotion, as it enhanced their image as a "fun" airline. Like Kraft, they utilize creative advertising to tackle the publics' exasperation with the airline industry. Their new "happy jetting" campaign does a great job differentiating them from competition. According to the ads, flying with Jet Blue isn't isn't like flying with all the other troubled, tedious, airlines...in fact, it isn't even flying, it's "jetting"! Television ads feature bouncy music and the CEO, while print ads have cheery slogans like "flying is for pigeons". The website claims "Jetting comes with a clicker" and "Jetting thinks you deserve a snack." You can even take a quiz to find out if you are a "jetter" or a "flyer".
Virgin America took a note from Jet Blue in 2008, with a campaign that positioned that as the cool and fashionable way to travel. The nationwide print advertisements featured hipster-looking models and copy like "arrive beautifully", "This is How to Fly", and "Talk behind people's backs". The Virgin America Vice President describes, "Time and again our guests say they are thrilled by the design of the aircraft...and the friendly and stylish service, so we wanted our experiential campaign that told that story with a wink and a smile....stylish, mood-lit planes."
These campaigns come hand in hand with controversy. If the companies can't back up their enthusiastic claims, they risk coming off as pretentious or worse,dishonest. Furthermore, some people think the ads are gimmicky or overzealous; this is an especially popular accusation in JetBlue's case. Regardless, the widely publicized campaigns underscore the point we're making here: popular advertising confronts popular problems!
Recently, the airline industry has been popular grounds for this type of marketing. Why? Its brimming with problems! The current media is utterly saturated with news detailing the woes of air travel, like long lines, sky high prices, cut routes, delays and cancellations. Consequently, some companies have wisely used these troubles to shape ad campaigns which tell the public (in the word's of Mad men), Air Travel is okay. You are okay!
Kraft provides a perfect example of this: In early spring, the brand teamed up with JetBlue to launch it's new reduced-fat cream cheese. In a truly unique, guerrilla style effort, Kraft brand reps dressed up as Angels on certain JetBlue flights and handed out "breakfast from heaven": free bagels with new reduced fat cream cheese to all the passengers aboard! They ended up giving away 500,000 breakfasts, and the campaign was documented across media outlets around the country. The question arises: Why did Kraft choose to launch the bagels in flights? There are unlimited other venues they could've chosen, like trains, sidewalks, parks, schools, etc. Well, for one, flights fit best with their "breakfast from heaven" idea. But beyond that, the breakfasts lightened up the experience of flying. For the passenger's aboard the plane as well as people who read about it, Kraft came off as a different, more fun food brand. ..They're the company that gives out free bagels to tired air travellers. Furthermore, their promotion of reduced fat cream cheese attacks another national problem: poor diets.
Jet Blue also doubtlessly benefited from Kraft's promotion, as it enhanced their image as a "fun" airline. Like Kraft, they utilize creative advertising to tackle the publics' exasperation with the airline industry. Their new "happy jetting" campaign does a great job differentiating them from competition. According to the ads, flying with Jet Blue isn't isn't like flying with all the other troubled, tedious, airlines...in fact, it isn't even flying, it's "jetting"! Television ads feature bouncy music and the CEO, while print ads have cheery slogans like "flying is for pigeons". The website claims "Jetting comes with a clicker" and "Jetting thinks you deserve a snack." You can even take a quiz to find out if you are a "jetter" or a "flyer".
Virgin America took a note from Jet Blue in 2008, with a campaign that positioned that as the cool and fashionable way to travel. The nationwide print advertisements featured hipster-looking models and copy like "arrive beautifully", "This is How to Fly", and "Talk behind people's backs". The Virgin America Vice President describes, "Time and again our guests say they are thrilled by the design of the aircraft...and the friendly and stylish service, so we wanted our experiential campaign that told that story with a wink and a smile....stylish, mood-lit planes."
These campaigns come hand in hand with controversy. If the companies can't back up their enthusiastic claims, they risk coming off as pretentious or worse,dishonest. Furthermore, some people think the ads are gimmicky or overzealous; this is an especially popular accusation in JetBlue's case. Regardless, the widely publicized campaigns underscore the point we're making here: popular advertising confronts popular problems!
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