Along with the Social Media class, I'm also taking Consumer Advertising with Professor Eckstone at San Jose State. Yesterday we watched a portion of a "The Persuaders", a feature report on Marketing/Advertising from the excellent Frontline program.
In the portion we viewed, Frontline featured an inside look with the Marketing/Advertising team behind the launch of a new (new for 2003) "low-cost" airline called "Song". The new airline, a sub-brand of Delta Airlines was being positioned as the "airline for women". Because somehow they decided that there was some mystical, magical underserved group of women who weren't flying because darnit, where was the airline for them?!
This airline was going to be hip! It was going to be classy! Come on ladies, schedule your next menstrual cycle for your next flight with Song! Have your baby on our plane!
I thought it was insane.
I wasn't wrong. Song Airlines shut down in 2006. It's fleet was repainted and reabsorbed into the greater Delta family.
What was wrong with Song?
Well, a lot of things, but Song also had a lot of good things going for it.
Song featured in-seat entertainment systems with satellite television, interactive games you could play with fellow passengers, "fresh, organic meal" options, free drinks, leather seats, and extra legroom. Sounds great right? I'm a male with a penis and two testicles between my legs, and for some confounding reason, I like all those things. WEIRD.
Shit, I want to fly Song. Am I allowed to? Is that a feminine desire? NO! That's just luxury. And guess what? Both men AND women like luxury.
Virgin Airlines is successful, and from what I can tell, they're doing A LOT of the same things Song tried to do. Virgin does not market itself as an airline for any particular race or sex. Virgin is simply for people who want to fly better.
- So why did Song fail?
1. The first reason has nothing to do with it's failed targeting of customers. Song failed in large part because they mixed up two things that don't tend to be profitable together: Low-cost and Luxury. Song attempted to be among the best and most luxurious domestic flying experiences available (and had no First Class segment). But they also tried to be a "Low-cost" airline with low fares and lots of free amenities such as the aforementioned in-seat satellite television/entertainment systems and free beverages. Turns out all that luxury is expensive.
This together with the fact that they flew between 2003 and 2006, an era of skyrocketing jet-fuel prices led to minimal profits.
2. Song was so desperate to reach women and let their advertising and brand message turn into a complete failure.
I think if I was a woman, I would be almost offended at the level of pandering going on here. If you weren't paying attention, you would never know this was a commercial for an airline, or really anything for that matter.
Now, a Virgin America commercial:
In trying to lure women, I think Song's brand message was really weakened and their public image and level of public consciousness failed as a result. Why target only women when you have a product that would appeal to anybody with the money to buy it? Maybe if you had seats that were specially designed to fit a female butt I would get it, but if it's a better, more comfortable, more luxurious flying experience, I think more than JUST women would be interested.
-Chris Phillips
__Post-Script_
- "The Persuaders" also discussed the car company Saturn. Which has also disappeared since the making of the report.
- I think an important lesson we can take from here is that: a profitable company is more than just an image, a message, a logo, a product. It's a long series of correct decisions technical, logistical, and artistic.
You can find more information and even watch the special free online here:
Frontline: The Persuaders
