As I stated earlier, I think US's marketing promos (Seth and his free GoFare trinkets and free tickets) were a GOOD thing and garnered a lot of good PR for the airline.
Now let me show you why Kieth Alexander is my favorite airline columnist. He writes the "Business Class" column for the Washington Post and is such a joy to read because he gets so much stuff wrong. Today's column is about airlines using these unconventional marketing tactics. In addition to several other incorrect comments in his column, he says the following about Independence Air's promotions in the DC area:
"When Dulles-based Independence Air started its service this month, the carrier spent about $9 million of its $30 million advertising budget on 20 pickup trucks bearing the Independence Air logo. Employees traveled around handing out cookies, bumper stickers and T-shirts at lunchtime."
The bolding is mine, but if Indy Air spent over $9 million on 20 pick-up trucks I don't think they will be a threat to US Airways for very long. At $450,000 per truck that must have been some promo! Maybe they drove around passing out Rolex watches? That would do it!
Of course, Kieth has his numbers messed up the same way he goofs in several other places in the column.
You might need to register but the whole article is here...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Jun28.html
And you thought US wasted $$$$....
Now let me show you why Kieth Alexander is my favorite airline columnist. He writes the "Business Class" column for the Washington Post and is such a joy to read because he gets so much stuff wrong. Today's column is about airlines using these unconventional marketing tactics. In addition to several other incorrect comments in his column, he says the following about Independence Air's promotions in the DC area:
"When Dulles-based Independence Air started its service this month, the carrier spent about $9 million of its $30 million advertising budget on 20 pickup trucks bearing the Independence Air logo. Employees traveled around handing out cookies, bumper stickers and T-shirts at lunchtime."
The bolding is mine, but if Indy Air spent over $9 million on 20 pick-up trucks I don't think they will be a threat to US Airways for very long. At $450,000 per truck that must have been some promo! Maybe they drove around passing out Rolex watches? That would do it!
Of course, Kieth has his numbers messed up the same way he goofs in several other places in the column.
You might need to register but the whole article is here...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Jun28.html
And you thought US wasted $$$$....
