UNITED AIRLINES - Confronts terrorism fears in TV ads

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Seattle Times

Friday, October 19, 2001 - 12:00 a.m. Pacific

United confronts terrorism fears in TV ads

By Brad Foss The Associated Press

NEW YORK — In its first TV advertisements since Sept. 11, United Airlines speaks openly with viewers about last month's terrorist attacks, a strategy that is receiving mixed reviews.

While some marketing experts said ignoring Sept. 11 would be wrong, others argued that United — only the second major carrier to launch a TV ad campaign since the attacks — needn't remind air travelers of an event the industry would like them to forget.

"We took a blow, but we're gonna get up," pilot Ted McCaan says while straightening his necktie in a one-minute spot.

McCaan's message sums up the theme of renewal instilled throughout the campaign, which shows documentary-style interviews with United employees. The ads began airing nationwide Tuesday.

In another spot, workers talk about the thrill of flying and the "freedom" to travel anywhere, anytime in the U.S.

"We're not gonna let anyone take that away from us," a pilot says.

"We're Americans, and this is not gonna beat us down," an executive adds.

United's advertising agency, Fallon Worldwide of Minneapolis, originally asked United employees to read scripts that emphasized camaraderie, a passion for flying and confidence in the company.

"Once we started filming, though, it became apparent that what they had to say from their heart was much better than what I had written for them," said Bob Moore, Fallon's creative director.

So Moore scrapped the script and instead interviewed 32 workers, a move he said lent the tightly edited, documentary-style production the "appropriate tone."

"There wasn't really an interview in which the crew didn't erupt in applause afterward. They were all pretty inspiring," he said.

Gary Stible, an executive at the New England Consulting Group, a Westport, Conn.-based advertising agency, said the United campaign has some nice touches, but he was critical of the approach for "reminding people of what they wanted them to forget. It was a brilliant execution of the wrong strategy."

But Stephen Greyser, a professor of consumer marketing at Harvard Business School, disagreed.

"Normally, an airline wouldn't want to be out there advertising after a major accident," Greyser said. "But in this instance, the impact of September 11 is so massive in terms of the traveling public's minds, you can't hide."

Jerry Dow, United's director of worldwide marketing, said the ads attempt to strike a balance between heartfelt expressions of confidence about the airline and subtle encouragement to fly.

"Our customers want us out there talking to them, but they don't want the hard sell just yet," Dow said.

Airline passenger volumes plummeted after the terrorism attacks. While air traffic has slowly picked up, many jets are flying about 40 percent empty even after carriers cut nationwide carrying capacity by 20 percent, according to the Air Transport Association.

The industry is expected to report more than $6.5 billion in losses for the year.

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines aired a series of patriotic TV ads just one week after the attacks. In one, company President Colleen Barrett intoned, "Nothing will keep our country or our company from moving ahead."

United's two largest competitors, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have not developed any plans for TV advertisements since Sept. 11, the companies said yesterday.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2001

Answers

The airlines have a two-pronged task: 1) convince consumers that their security works, and 2) stream-line the check-in procedures so that passengers are not waiting in long lines for hours at a time. Until both of these issues are addressed, the reduced fares aren't going to do the job.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2001

I'm awaiting the next holiday travel period: Thanksgiving. My poll of co-workers: only one out of 10 is going to fly home. The rest are driving to visit relatives, not going anywhere this holiday, or only visiting relatives in the area. The one is flying home because he's from LA, and his mom has been ill.

-- Anonymous, October 19, 2001

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