Image by jackol via Flickr

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This is what I call daring branding! Air New Zealand has just come up with an advertisement that features the airline CEO and staff appear in nothing but body paint. The point they’re trying make is that “they’ve got nothing to hide” with their all-in prices, as opposed to budget carriers. The fares Air New Zealand advertises include baggage allowance and refreshments. In an age of rising ala-carte styled pricing, this is indeed refreshing.
A brand pushing the envelope
Air New Zealand has a history of fearless innovation – be it the introduction of an in-flight conceirge at a time when other airlines were cutting service levels, or now this advertisement, which is bound to catch people’s attention. And with all the buzz such videos create on social media these days, there’s a very high chance of this going viral too! Who would mind that? Probably just Air New Zealand’s competitors.

The carrier says that the aim is to differentiate Air New Zealand from competitors “who …

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="219" caption="Gary Leopold, ISM Boston"][/caption]

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According to ISM Boston’s website, Gary Leopold, their CEO, “not only eats, sleeps and breathes travel, he knows it from the client side.” After having a conversation with him, one would appreciate the completeness of the sentence – and the man.

Not only has Gary led ISM Boston – a niche travel marketing firm – for almost 25 years, he has also been involved in the strategic planning for all accounts, one of them being Emirates Airline. ISM Boston recently won the Emirates account for North America after a review. He was gracious enough to speak to us about the unique challenges faced by airline brands and how they can succeed – both in the US and abroad.

In essence, Gary feels that airlines need to give autonomy to marketing agencies and push them to innovate – like Emirates does. Over the five years ISM Boston has had the Emirates account, they seem to have surpassed their own expectations on the quality of work produced for Emirates.

When asked …

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.  Within a year, kulula.com had become the country’s biggest online retailer and still holds the position.

Sometimes, competition can lead to funny outcomes. Here’s what happened at a major crossing in Mumbai, India, when Jet Airways announced their makeover. Enjoy!

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