Re: Opinions about Ted

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 17:03:29 +0000, Lou Minatti wrote:

> 
> United Airlines has launched a "guerilla marketing" campaign for their new
> low-cost subsidiary. They call it "Ted". Get it?
> 
> http://www.thedenverchannel.com/travelgetaways/2619427/detail.html
> 
> When they're done right, these types of campaigns are pure gold. But for
> every successful "Blair Witch Project" campaign there are numerous Miller
> Beer "Dick" and Burger King "Herb" campaigns.
> 
> In the interest of discussion, any opinions on Ted?

Do you have any examples of these types of campaigns that worked?  I can
only think of Jared from Subway - any others?

The reason Jared worked where "Dick" and "Herb" didn't is that Jared was a
real person, who experienced just what the target market did.  Jared isn't
a spokesman - he's your next door neighbor giving a refferal!

Dick and Herb were obviously created in a marketing department.  Jared is
real.  Ted is another marketing creation.  And people don't get emotionaly
attached to marketing the way they do real people.

Ted may find some initial success.  People will be curious.  Then they
will realize that it's just another airline and that for $5 more on
priceline.com they could have got peanuts with their flight.

I don't think airlines have a very good handle on image.  When I purchase
a flight I want to know the plane isn't going down in the Pacific and that
I could afford the flight.  Everything else is detail.  If I flew all the
time other "extras" would appeal to me - elbow and leg room, comfortable
seats, Internet connection, etc.

But Ted just seems to be a cheap, jeans and t-shirt kinda guy with a
slightly intriguing sense of humor.  Maybe the price will be low enough to
draw people after they get curious enough to look into it.

Maybe.

-JD