SimpliFlying » Kulula.com

Kulula Airlines – the most “fun” airline brand in the world?

Shashank Nigam — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:39:56 +0000

I’ve often mentioned in my keynote presentations, that an airline brand is not what you say it is, it’s what they say it is. And I found a perfect example of this today – reading a post in the Airliners.net forums about Kulula.com – the South African LCC.

Wait….let me rephrase that. Kulula.com – THE South African Airline.

And why do I say that they’re the most “fun” airline in the world? Remember their really cool airline 101 livery? Or their quirky advertisements?

But the best testimonial is that from a customer. To substantiate what I’m talking about, let me just quote the user’s story here, which is about Brand eXecution at 35,000 feet.

The highlight of any flight has to be the announcements from the crew; when landing in Port Elizabeth after a short hop from Cape Town, a booming voice came onto the PA system, saying “welcome to Zimbabwe!”, which had everyone in the cabin briefly looking a bit surprised before all bursting into laughter.

On the return hop to Cape Town, a hard bounce on the runway which turned into a go-around resulted in the first officer apologising over the PA, and asking if any of the passengers wanted to have a go instead.

And even the pre-flight safety announcement on another hop to PE whereby passengers were told that in the event of cabin depressurisation, masks would drop from the compartments above – to use the masks, let go of the passenger next to you, stop screaming and pull the mask over your face.

Now that’s what sounds like a truly fun airline to fly with isn’t it? And I think a lot of airlines around the world have been able to build in this element into their service. Remember the rapping flight attendant at Southwest Airlines? Or the in-flight safety videos of Air New Zealand? A happy traveler is a loyal traveler. At least that’s what I believe. So, why not make everyone happy?

And to re-kindle some Kulula.com memories, here are the livery photos again!

South Africa’s Kulula Airlines goes back to basics with Flying 101 re-branding

Shashank Nigam — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:08:37 +0000

Did you ever know where the black box is located on a plane? Did you know what A.P.U stands for? Probably not, unless you’re a geek. Kulula Airlines of South Africa, which is known for its quirky branding, has come up with a solution – an airplane painted with facts about…the plane itself!

Now here’s one plane that’s bound the become the kids’ favorite. In fact, I bet that adults would be intrigued too. I’d let the pictures do the talking, and you be the judge.

Kulula.com lures South Africans with authentic advertising

Shashank Nigam — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:29:35 +0000

Image by Steve Crane via Flickr

Simple and sincere expectation setting can go a long way in inspiring new customers to try a new airline. Kulula.com was the first low cost carrier in South Africa, starting operations in 2001. Since the beginning, it has captured the hearts and minds of South African travelers by bringing out the authenticity of the brand and then living up to their word. Kulula means “easily” in the Zulu language and its advertisements are known for their quirky, almost slapstick-type humor, which never show an aircraft or air hostess. They focus on local flavor and humor, showcasing real people, with whom their customers can relate to.

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TV viewers and billboard gazers have been treated to images of South Africans from all walks of life dressed up like kulula.com “fans,” complete with capes and propeller beanies, ready to take to the skies. Most of these ads feature the kinds of people who are the absolute antithesis of the jet set: the mishmash of sorts one might see waiting for a bus or shopping at Walmart. Through these, most South Africans saw an honest representation of themselves, and logged on to book tickets that were substantially cheaper than those offered by the incumbent South African Airways.Â Within a year, kulula.com had become the country’s biggest online retailer and still holds the position.

Kulula.com set expectations showcasing their brand personality in the earnest. Those who could relate to it felt that they were buying something that says something about them. They were being a “rebel” and â€œanti-establishment” by flying with Kulula.com.

This article is an excerpt case study from the airline branding white paper, If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share it with your friends. You can also get free updates by email or RSS.