In advertisements released this month, there are no A380s. No business class beds. No gourmet food. No lounges. But just the Singapore Girl. I bet some of you would recall that in the late 70s and 80s, this was precisely the brand strategy for Singapore Airlines – something that set it a class apart from the rest. Here’s what the new ad looks like:

Of course, we were more than curious about the latest move, and managed to get an interview with the spokesperson at SIA. And here’s the interview, verbatim.

Interview with Nicholas Ionides, VP, Public Affairs, Singapore Airlines

Q: It’s refreshing to see the Singapore Girl being the center of SIA’s brand. What led to the re-think?
A: The Singapore Girl has always been central to SIA’s branding, and she was never excluded from our ads as we recognize the strong emotional connection our customers have with our brand as a result of her iconic image.

Sure, our ads and campaigns have taken varying forms as they carry different messages over the course of time, but through it all, the Singapore Girl was always present, whether we were promoting our latest products, introducing a new aircraft or launching a new destination.

Q: The focus now seems on the Singapore Girl icon, and the destinations – what about the product?

A: As explained above, our on-going marketing campaigns would naturally take varying forms and carry different messages over the course of time. The focus of each advertising campaign is determined by the message we want to convey during that period of time.

Previously, we have had advertisements featuring our cabin products, which worked well to inform the traveling public about our new innovations. We also had destination advertisements that showcased the many locations to which we operate. Similarly, the latest Singapore Girl campaign aims to reinforce our forte – the world’s best in-flight service.

Q: Previously, SIA’s ads focused on the price and the product – are these out of the picture now? Why?
A: No, we are well aware that price and product are strong factors that influence consumer patterns. By building an ad campaign around the Singapore Girl, we are highlighting what she, and SIA have come to symbolize – our Asian hospitality and world-class service standards, epitomizing the warmth and caring that customers have come to expect of SIA.

By having the Singapore Girl front the latest campaign we hope to remind our customers and the public of these attributes that set SIA apart from others.

Q: How has the SIA brand evolved over the years, and what does this latest re-incarnation signify?
A: SIA first used the Singapore Girl to front our ad campaigns in the 1970s and this continues to today. Despite the progression of time, the essence of the Singapore Girl and what she represents remains timeless. The details and presentation may have varied slightly through the course of time, but we’ve always sought to be contemporary while holding on to our traditional values of service and the warm hospitality that is associated with Singapore Airlines.

The latest campaign is a continuation of our long-standing Singapore Girl ad campaigns, showcasing the Singapore Girl’s Asian hospitality while bringing the romance of travel to life. To present the diversity of the destinations that we serve, we filmed on location in four different locations – San Francisco,  Paris,Jaisalmer in India and Wuzhen in China. The unique character of each location comes across strongly, and each is a fitting iconic backdrop for the Singapore Girl herself.

Q: The advertisement was first released on Youtube, and the video now has over 220,000 views. Why was the decision taken to launch Youtube, given how conservative SIA has been in social media use?
A: We adopt an integrated marketing campaign approach to advertising and digital platforms play a key role in all Singapore Airlines promotional campaigns. Online activities including selected social media channels, where relevant, complement the traditional media channels used to ensure that the advertising message reaches consumers at various touchpoints.

At the same time, we recognize that people are increasingly obtaining information, furthering their interests and sharing their thoughts through new media. As such, new media platforms like YouTube are dynamic mechanisms with which to get the word out.

Q: Four making-of videos were also released on Youtube – what purpose do they serve? Will this be a regular feature of all future advertisements?
A: We have over the years, seen great interest from the general public on how our ads are put together, so we thought what better way to share “behind the scenes” moments than as an introduction to our latest ad campaign?

Platforms like YouTube are borderless in nature, in that you don’t have to be in a fixed geographical location to access an ad, and you don’t have to wait for it to come on at a certain time or day. So those who are interested to find out what we’re doing, can do so very easily, and that allows us to further bridge the gap between consumer and service provider.

Q: Some say that the ads are sexist – what’s your take on that?
A: The iconic Singapore Girl has long been a cornerstone of the Singapore Airlines brand philosophy and world-class service standards, known for her warm Asian hospitality and affable, caring ways. She represents not just the Singapore Airlines flight attendant, but service-focused qualities that our cabin crew – male and female – all possess.

In her distinctive sayong kebaya uniform, the Singapore Girl has become a global marketing icon recognised as one of the airline industry’s as well as Singapore’s most prominent figures. Together with her male counterparts, all our Singapore Airlines cabin crew members are ambassadors for the Airline and Singapore.

Q: What about the SIA Guys? On my SIA flights, male FAs have been the most attentive and friendly!
A: It won’t be a stretch to say that consistency is one of SIA’s key strengths, and a lot of that comes from the fact that customers can expect a certain standard of service and delivery whenever they fly with us. It’s not easy for airlines to be able to replicate such consistent levels of delivery across their entire cabin crew population, but at SIA we’re proud to say that we’re able to so do even with some 7000 crew, more than one third of them male. The fact that the Singapore Girl is a fixture in our ads should not be read as taking anything away from the guys, because they are also key to our success and possess the core value of world class service.

Q: Having set such high brand expectations, what do you think might be a challenge in living up to the brand image?
A: Before you can create a great brand, you have to be able to live up to the service expectations that your customers have.  The advertising of Singapore Airlines serves to remind people about the high levels of service we provide to the customers, but it wouldn’t work if we didn’t live up to those expectations in delivery. We consistently strive to meet the highest standards of customer care and service, to fulfil our promise of being “A Great Way to Fly”.

Q: What’s next for the SIA brand and the SIA Girl?

A: Customer service, product innovation and network connectivity are the key pillars that form the foundation of our competitive offering. We are committed to constantly innovating and improving our product and service offerings to provide our customers with the very best premium air travel experience. As an industry leader, we do not rest on our laurels after the introduction of new products, but move forward by continuing to seek comments and feedback from our customers to improve on our products and services to stay ahead of the game.

Our greatest asset is also our people, and we will continue to invest in our people through training, just like how we will carry on growing our brand equity to ensure that the Singapore Girl – the hallmark of Singapore Airlines’ gracious service and innovative products – remains timeless and relevant in the hearts and minds of our customers.

A sustainable brand differentiation?

As with all new brand strategies, it is debatable whether the differentiation is sustainable or not. I personally believe that the focus on the Singapore Girl is much more sustainable for Singapore Airlines. After all, while they were the first to fly the A380, Emirates now flies more. While SIA had the widest Business Class bed in the world, Turkish Airlines has it now, while Oman Air has the longest. Product differentiation is seldom sustainable.

But I believe no other airline can duplicate a Singapore Girl – it’s difficult to take away her essence. Don’t you think?

Just try imagining a subservient, almost Geisha-like stewardess on an American carrier – yeah, I know it’s difficult.

I rest my case.

What do you think of Singapore Airlines’ latest re-incarnation? Is the re-focus on the Girl a sustainable competitive advantage? Or are they going back in time? Let’s hear your thoughts, over on Twitter (@simpliflying) and in the comments section.

• Interview with Emirates VP Nigel Page on the A380 flights to JFK, SFO and LAX
• Vueling Business Class drives awareness creatively: The cloud that fell from the sky
• How will Emirates ensure high levels of service across its A380 fleet? VP Nigel Page explains
• Indigo Airlines goes international chic with latest brand campaign – the model of a modern global airline
• The Big Flight: How Malaysia Airlines is using social media to launch their new A380

German cable television news network N24′s weather girl now presents the weather wearing the full airBerlin cabin service uniform, including the trademark red gloves. If that wasn’t in-your-face enough, the map not only shows the weather of key German cities, but also weather at all airBerlin desinations – with the airBerlin logo on it too!

While some think that this is bad advertising, I’d say this is very creative and a good example  of brand placement. I’m sure airBerlin must be paying much more than just sponsoring the weather, but then again – it’s what it takes to get your destination map shown to all of Germany every hour isn’t it?

What do you think? Slick advertising, or over the top? Let’s hear it on Twitter (@simpliflying) and in the comments.

• JetBlue’s all you can fly offer used for a good cause: a human billboard for students in Zambia
• [Video] The best holiday greetings from airlines this season
• Ambush marketing comes to airlines: Germanwings takes over ITB Berlin using Facebook Places
• Jet Airways employee sacking with an interesting online twist
• What to do if you are stranded on Thanksgiving?

I feel rating Hainan as Five Star was the final nail in the coffin for Skytrax. Here are three reasons why I believe Skytrax is dead:

1. Irrelevant – If I’m a Kobe Bryant, then the only Business Class seat that’s Five Star for me is Oman Air’s – not Asiana or any other 5-star-classified airline. Because I can fit in there. Moreover, service and products differ dramatically for airlines on different routes and sectors. Hence, airlines ratings need to be relevant – which Skytrax is not.
2. Not real-time- Annual ratings are no longer desirable as airline service levels can dramatically change over a much smaller period of time. Look at how Garuda Indonesia dramatically improved service in the last month. Moreover, passengers are now used to rating in real-time and also consume real-time data, which Skytrax doesn’t seem to support
3. Not peer-reviewed- In the same vain as real-time, passengers are used to reading peer-reviews to determine which airline to fly, not annual “star ratings”. In fact, recently, the UK government announced that they’re withdrawing support for hotel star ratings, because consumers prefer peer-reviewed ratings.

What does the Twitterati think about Skytrax?

Again, these are just my own opinions. To verify them, I conducted a poll on Twitter, and here are some reactions from those who took part, along with the chart summarizing the poll results.

As you can see from the results of the poll, 81% of the respondents believed that Skytrax ratings are highly irrelevant. I guess that sends a clear signal to airline managers obsessed with achieving an additional Star on the Skytrax ratings to look elsewhere.

What is the future of airline ratings?

Now that the writing on the wall for Skytrax is quite clear, we should think about the future. For starters, there are alternates like Eezeer’s NOW ratings for airlines, TripAdvisor’s airline reviews and even Zagat ratings, which are much more real-time and relevant than Skytrax. A recent USA today article also evaluated a variety of airline ratings.

So now that travelers have a lot of alternates to Skytrax, airlines looking to adhere to the next wave of airline ratings need to consider a few facts. And here are 10 of those.

1.     Each flier is different in what he/she wants in a “perfect” airline. It depends on various factors which themselves vary between various (yes, another various) airlines. Hence, the difficulty of quantifying what makes an airline good. It’s purely subjective.

2.     Business travelers often prefer extra space (think laptops, business suits, comfort) along with lounge access, free pickups – and they will rate the airline differently than leisure travelers. In fact, each micro-segment will have it’s own way of assessing the quality of the airline -from backpackers, to gramdmoms. Airlines need focused differentiation. Don’t try to be everything to everyone!

3.    Presence of multiple surveys is more confusing than enlightening. Doesn’t really help since the traveller looking for advice due to their different results and interpretations of what is “best”. And airlines need to help simplify this process.

4.     Comparisons in surveys are often not done in a uniform manner. LCCs cannot be included in the same class as legacy carriers (Zagat Survey) since they serve different purposes and will have different offerings.

5.   Consumers can often see through the PR spin by airlines about rankings. Proclaiming a winner might be the result of a magazine/survey’s prejudices. So, be truthful, and don’t try to cover up your misgivings.

6.    While ratings matter, price is still a key factor for deciding which airline to fly on – followed by schedule and convenience. Hence, sort out the basics of what value you’re offering to the customers, before dedicating resources to managing ratings.

7. Airlines should ultimately have route managers being held responsible for ratings of their specific route, over time and versus competition on that route. And that’s when the overall impact will be felt.

Eventually, not only is it difficult to identify the “best” airline, I think the question is pointless until a standardised method of measurement is undertaken. Otherwise, we might as well say oranges are better than apples (which might be true depending on the person.) The counterpoint of course is that some airlines are indeed oranges while others are apples. So can airlines be truly compared since they all tend to offer value through differentiation and will tend to do better than other airlines on some counts and worse on some other counts.

Until we can truly quantify such problems and even them out, the question of best is useless. We should stick to systems that compare airlines across a list of measures and let the traveler decide which airline to fly depending on how *he* views the relative importance of those measures.

And the reality is that Skytrax is a 90s technology that faces sunset this year – and unless they re-invent themselves to incorporate real-time peer-reviews, be transparent about their rating system and use social media to engage with customers – they’re doomed.

What do you think? Let’s discuss on Twitter and in comments.

P.S: Special thanks to Shubhodeep Pal for help with this article

• Now Reviews: Sharing the airline passenger experience in real-time through Eezeer
• True account of a Qatar Airways passenger stranded in Sudan
• Why it’s good for the industry if airlines go bankrupt
• Presentation – How airlines can segment customers and target niche markets through social media
• Travel agents can differentiate by displaying online reviews

This is bound to get the message far-and-wide for AirAsia X, and hopefully they’ll be flying to Sydney sooner than later. It’s good for us, consumers

• Virgin Atlantic’s Airphoria is just the start, VP of Marketing Jim Mezoff reveals
• What can airlines learn from the Obama marketing machine?
• Why Virgin Atlantic Airways is not “on the brink of collapse”
• Virgin Atlantic’s Vtravelled gets into social gaming – Interview with Lysette Gauna
• Talking airline business with Virgin Atlantic VP, Paul Charles

Over the last few months, I’ve spent a lot of time translating the developments in social media to how airlines and airports can drive loyalty, revenue and engagement – things that matter to the business – and hopefully answer the above question.

And the one big noticeable trend is the shift from the Customer to the Cult. The latter is essentially a much larger, often more influential tribe, than just those who actually pay to fly. So, why not leverage on them?

I know it might sound a little abstract right now, so I’d like to share with you my keynote presentation from the Points.com customer summit in Toronto. Points.com allows frequent travelers to trade miles between multiple programs, and also ultimately drives loyalty for airlines, due to better earning and burning.

I was intrigued by the Points.com model and highlighted to the audience the two paradigm shifts in travel and three ways to drive loyalty with those in mind.

And for the first time, I didn’t use any presentation slides, inspired from Chris Anderson’s talk at TED.

Enjoy the presentation, and I’d love to hear your feedback (click here if you can’t view the presentation below).

• [Video] Two Paradigm Shifts in Travel and Three Ways Airlines Can Drive Engagement – Presentation from Aviation Outlook Africa Summit
• Three keys to making loyalty programs work for the airline brand of the future
• [Infographic] The future of loyalty programs will be powered by social media
• [Presentation] Why the future of loyalty programs will be social-media based
• Is social loyalty the next phase of development for frequent flyer programs?

SAS = LGBT-friendly airline?

Now, SAS Scandinavian has targeted the LGBT community – a small, but often rich community, to showcase how friendly the airline is towards this specific group. The airline has launched a competition on a microsite where gay couples can share their love stories and win a chance to be the couple to get married on-board a flight from Stockhom to New York! Not only that, the couple will win a complete honeymoon package as well, which will also bring them to the US West Coast and put them up in luxury hotels. Now, that’s original!

Why I think this is a good niche market to go after?

Simply because not too many airlines are daring enough to enter this market so boldly. Few, like Air New Zealand have specific sections on their website dedicated to the LGBT sector.

Through this wedding and contest submissions, SAS is bound to generate a significant amount of awareness of their product and open-ness to diversity for the specific market. After all, once a gay couple has submitted a video, who do you think they will ask to vote? Probably more friends who swing the other way. And that should ultimately lead to more bookings for SAS from this market.

Niche marketing gives airlines a competitive advantage, which can quickly add up over time for sustainable brand leadership.

So, what’s your niche market that your airline has been successful in targeting? Do you think this is a smart move by SAS? Let’s discuss in the comments or over on Twitter (@simpliFlying)

• Presentation – How airlines can segment customers and target niche markets through social media
• Will online communities by airlines help their brands take-off?
• Kulula.com lures South Africans with authentic advertising
• Can Jet Airways survive the recession (and what does the Kingfisher alliance mean)?
• Kulula Airlines – the most “fun” airline brand in the world?

———

Virgin Blue, after fighting hard as a “renegade” brand for a slice of the Australian carrier market is tipped to undergo a marketing face lift and re-invent itself as a full service brand. Some of the purported changes include the introduction of a new business class product, integrating the other brand properties (Polynesian Blue and V Australia) as well as the introduction of wide body aircraft on trunk routes between capitals.

(Image credit: ABC News)

Virgin Blue going upscale?

It is apparent from the changes the new CEO, Ex Qantas Senior exec John Borghetti is primarily going after the lucrative corporate segment of the market, one which Virgin Blue has traditionally struggled to break into due to Qantas’ having a strong and loyal customer base.

The biggest hurdle here will be to ramp up the company’s loyalty programs to make them attractive to corporate clients. The easiest way Virgin could do this besides upgrading it lounge system is to integrate with a global airline alliance, such as SkyTeam or Star Alliance, to boost its loyalty offering and expand code share operations.

It’s not going to be easy to attract new the new corporate business without impacting the most loyal customers who were attracted to the “renegade” brand. The shift away from competing head to head with other low cost carriers such as Tiger and Jet Star will surely allow it to focus more on its new customer acquisition path and deliver a more differentiated product. However it’s a delicate balance between attracting a new segment and not turning away the loyal customer base who share an affinity with the current culture and image.

Virgin Australia Airlines?

The other issue facing Virgin’s re-birth is the long-standing agreement between Virgin Atlantic Airways and significant shareholder Singapore Airlines prohibiting it from using the Virgin moniker for international flights.

I’d hasten to say the use of Virgin Australia Airlines, which was registered several years before the 2008 launch of V Australia will be the primary candidate to encompass all 3 brands.

Mr Borghetti has also recently swept the brands senior leadership team under the one reporting structure, not only implementing a few commercial side changes but also positioning Martin Daley as Product and Guest Services lead across the single carrier brand. Martin was one of the early Virgin Blue culture “creators” and will be integral to ensuring a consistent and on brand culture across all brand properties.

Finally, rationalisation of loss making routes across brands should also be on the cards as part of the marketing change out with yield being a primary focus of V Australia. A focus on greater diligence on revenue generation across the house of brands will be imperative once it becomes a branded house to ensure one branch of its network does not impact another’s profitability.

With most of the changes to come in before the end of the year, do you believe they can shake the low cost carrier moniker, bring the brands together and attract one of the most loyal market segments away from Qantas? Sounds like a big task, so let’s wish them all the best. And watch this space.

• Why a Qantas and British Airways merger is good (and why Qantas + Cathay Pacific will be even better!)
• The “Jetstar-isation” of Qantas is not over yet. Is the LCC taking over the legacy parent brand?
• Australia’s Qantas Airways – the world’s most agile airline brand?
• Talking airline business with Virgin Atlantic VP, Paul Charles
• Three reasons why Qantas missed a branding opportunity with A380

1. To get all manufacturers coming to Qatar Airways’ chalet, than the QR executives going to the manufacturers
2. Increase brand awareness among suppliers
3. Invite the media to the chalet to share stories about the airline
4. Mr Al Bakar wanted one

For all the above reasons, I keep coming up with respective counter arguments..

1. Any suppliers trying to sell planes or services to QR would already have done their homework and go to Mr al Bakar anyway, hence negating the need for driving brand awareness among suppliers
2. The media is just as happy at press conferences as well as on-board the plane on static display,

So then why would Qatar Airways, or any other airline have a chalet at an Airshow? And how is the ROI from such an investment determined? I’m puzzled, and would love some answers. Let’s discuss on Twitter (@simpliFlying) and in comments.

• SimpliFlying creates history: absolutely unofficial, real-time coverage of the Singapore Airshow 2010
• Social Media creates waves at the Singapore Airshow 2010
• Is Qatar Airways really the five star experience in the sky? A brand analysis
• SimpliFlying recognized as one of the Top 3 aviation blogs at FlightGlobal Webbies
• SimpliFlying Hero July 2010: Todd Blecher, for helping move Boeing towards social media excellence

The sweetener is that the first 500 people to book tickets using their Twitter ID would be able to redeem a 50% discount (still valid as of 2pm EDT, 20 Feb). If they’re not “following” the airline on Twitter, they will auto-follow. Even the official press release re-directed recipients to the Twitter URL.

“The first 500 Twitter followers who receive the airline’s expansion Tweet can score a 50 percent discount on flights to Toronto for travel June 23-November 17, 2010.*  Virgin America is the only airline based in Silicon Valley, and its inventive use of technology, social media and design has made it a favorite among tech-forward flyers.  For more: www.twitter.com/virginamerica”.

The press release was followed by a single Tweet. And that’s it. That’s a very simple route-launch for you.

What so smart about Virgin America’s use of social media?

I’ve highlighted previously that Virgin America very cleverly uses social media by embedding sharing elements in their email newsletters. Now, they’ve taken the use of the medium to another level. Here’s why.

1. There is completely no support from traditional advertising: I bet the airline has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, by not buying media space in Toronto. I remember when Emirates launched Toronto flights – they had tall buildings in Dundas Square draped in red (see below).
2. Huge boost for social media team: I met with Bowen Payson last month, who leads the social media execution at Virgin America and sensed a lot of passion in him for what he and his team are trying to accomplish. Having no traditional advertising also represents a huge confidence in Bowen’s team by the senior management. It also speaks volumes about how visionary the senior executive team is, being led by Porter Gale and Dimitrios Papadogonas.
3. Fighting the battle on their own turf: Before redeeming voucher, you need to be a followed of Virgin America on Twitter. And not only do they request you, but they automatically verify and get you to follow if you’re not already doing so. They can do this because you’ve entered your Twitter id and password on their website! Now, imagine all the tracking Virgin America can do with this tool as well – identifying which Twitter user logged in, but didn’t buy, and even mapping Twitter-Ids to frequent flier numbers. This is also something I’ve not seen airlines do, but surely reflects the future of social CRM.

All in all, a terrific job by Virgin America. What do you think about their efforts? Do you have examples to share where airlines have done similar things, well? Let’s hear it in the comments, and over on Twitter (@simpliflying)

P.S: Thanks to Dan from Things in the Sky blog for this tip-off.

P.P.S: Here’s how Emirates launched their Toronto flights.

• Interview with Emirates VP Nigel Page on the A380 flights to JFK, SFO and LAX
• Top 10 Route Launches: How Airlines and Airports engage customers in new destinations through social media
• What makes Virgin America an outstanding airline brand? The delivery.
• The day airlines’ Twitter accounts were hacked, and three steps to reverse the brand damage
• Why every visionary airline executive needs to fly Virgin America this year – to get a glimpse of the future

First impressions matter

When I first saw this advertisement, these questions would come to the travelers’ minds:

1. Why is Oneworld the “most important” alliance in the world?
2. And whose claim is that? The alliance itself? Or an independent third party?
3. Who is Mexicana? A new airline from Mexico? Or an old one?
4. Are they any good?
5. Do they fly anywhere other than Mexico?
6. Oh..and which of those logos is Mexicana? The first or the last… they both look similar!

None of those questions were answered. And from a marketing standpoint, what’s the “call to action”? Being the curious type, I clicked on the advertisement anyway, and I came to a “Promotions” landing page, which didn’t quite make sense.

Repetition doesn’t work anymore

The page I was led to repeated the same message, THREE more times! I was getting impatient at this time, so I click on the advertisement on the right bar, hoping to find out more. Where does that lead me? The SAME page. Yes, I’m not joking. The same page re-loads and I’m back to square one. In about 10 mins, I’ve still not found out any of the answers to my above questions! And that’s being about 20 times more patient than the average web user.

Enlightenment at last… or is it?

As I dug around, I finally found another graphic, which seemed to go just a little more into the details of Mexicana joining OneWorld. And I thought now my curiosity would be doused. The details certainly shed more light onto what the new alliance meant, but I still failed to understand why OneWorld is the most important alliance in the world, and what’s the significance of Mexicana joining them. Most importantly, I’m still clueless how it would benefit me if I fly to Mexico once in a couple of years, and only to Cancun!

How could this have been done?

Instead of just proclaiming that Mexicana has joined the “world’s most important alliance” and leaving me to figure out what that might mean for me, the airline and the alliance could have tried one of more of these things:

1. Get Mexicans who fly Mexicana to upload videos on YouTube on why this alliance will benefit them
2. Get Mexicans who don’t fly Mexicana to upload videos on YouTube on why this alliance will benefit them
3. Get Frequent Flier members who fly Mexicana to share their side of the story
4. Get a family to share their story, and get a few businessmen too
5. Have employees share publicly how this would change their work, and may be even improve it

Then compile all these videos and stories on a landing page on the website, or a blog, where the clicks from the ads would come. In fact, the ads themselves should just feature a person and a story. Why? Because it makes the story authentic.

Authenticity matters

Through these suggested efforts, even if at the end of the day I don’t understand why Oneworld is the “most important” alliance in the world, I might find someone I can relate to – the businessman, or the Mexican – and connect with the story to see how the alliance benefits me. Listening to other people tell their story moves more people to action, than blatantly claiming something in an advertisement.

So if you’re working with Mexicana, may I recommend you stop spending $50,000 (or more!) in getting me to watch the same advertisement four times in a day. Instead, spend $10,000 to hire a social media agency to put together the campaign suggested above. If nothing else, you’ll save $40,000. Oh, and if you need a reference, just go over to Volaris – which already does a fantastic job with authentic branding. What do you think?

• Will a bloated Star Alliance result in a branding nightmare?
• Five Imperatives For Your Airline’s Social Media Policy
• The Air New Zealand brand bares all – CEO and staff go nude in latest TV advertisement
• Why Should I Friend you on Facebook or Twitter, United?
• How can an airline create a viral video? Learn the power of surprise from TAP Portugal’s Christmas dance at Lisbon airport