Comparison of the media presence of Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

1. B R A N D C O M P A R I S O N
Anna Plunkett
DELTA
VS.
SOUTHWEST

2. Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Background
Audiences
Media Presence
Platforms
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Conclusion
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5
6-13
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14
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3. Executive Summary
The purpose of this comparison is to examine the media presence of
both Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines to identify which brand
engages with their target audience better overall as well as on each
media platform.
Each of the brands' website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were all
analyzed on the basis of level of engagement, overall sentiment, and
other factors specific to each platform. The chart below shows the public
metrics related to each company over the last three months. In the end,
Delta Air Lines was superior at engaging with their target market.
Strength
34%Passion
Sentiment
Reach
Delta Southwest
70%
5:1
47%
50%
22%
3:1
39%

4. Background & Audience
Southwest Airlines was
established in 1967 and has grown
from serving only the state of
Texas to carrying the most
domestic passengers of any US
airline in 2014.
True to it's nickname, the
world's largest low cost carrier,
Southwest targets more cost
conscious customers such as
senior citizens, small business
owners, and middle income
families who generally travel
shorter distances and desire
cheaper alternatives.
Delta Air Lines was founded
in 1924 and has maintained
their presence to become to
oldest and largest airline to still
be operating in the United
States.
Delta seeks to target
business flyers, international
travelers, and frequent flyers.
They focus on the customer
experience while still treating
employees well and embody
the phrase, "happy employees
equal happy customers".

5. Media Presence
FACEBOOK
@delta - 3.15M likes
@SouthwestAir - 6.07M likes
TWITTER
@Delta - 1.46M followers
@SouthwestAir - 2.13M followers
INSTAGRAM
@delta - 738k followers
@southwestair - 495k followers
Both Delta and Southwest can be found on all 3 major
social media platforms as well as operating their own
websites and specific apps.

6. Website
delta.com southwest.com
The Delta website uses a sleek and
professional design that does not detract from
the products throughout the homepage. They
use the most prominent spot to promote their
loyalty program, SkyMiles, and the amenities
that frequent and more experienced travelers
enjoy.
Delta.com also has a quick link to a
separate page devoted to business travel
which highlights opportunities such as credit
cards for specific air travel expenses, loyalty
programs for whole business and other
amenities for business travelers.
Throughout the webpage, Delta features
that flying on one of their planes is an
experience rather than a way to get to and
from a destination. This aligns with their goal
to maintain a high level of customer
satisfaction that brings them back each time
they have a need for air travel.
Southwest has a lighthearted and inviting
webpage that speaks directly to their target
audiences. The first thing one sees is a
smiling employee and a quick joke before all
of their available products.
The page was also set up to highlight how
they are different from their competition. By
mentioning numerous times that they charge
no fees to change flights or for checked bags,
they address some of the pain points cost
conscious travelers have.
Another notable aspect of the website is
how they have assembled their list of quick
links into topics an average customer could
easily find. By dividing these links into lists
based on products, customer service, and
flying information, customers would be able to
have a clear direction in their search for more
information.

7. Website
As both delta.com and southwest.com have similar basic
features such as online check-in, flight status checker, and quick
flight look up capability, the superior website comes down to how
they approach their audience. Overall, Southwest engages better
with their target market throughout their website.
Delta's website is made for those who are familiar with their
airline and are looking to spend a minimal amount of time
searching for flights or making decisions between packages.
Southwest identified that their customers are looking for a deal
rather than an extravagant flight and are looking for more
information to make sure they they are spending their resources
in the best way. By displaying that customers can book flights,
hotels, and rentals cars in a prominent position on the homepage,
they are showing customers that they can save time and money
by booking through Southwest.
Southwest is able to show all the opportunities they can
provide customers by creating engaging and vibrant content
blocks that can catch the eye of someone looking for a quick deal
on a vacation or trip. They seek to show customers a range of
offers that they provide rather than assuming that they know what
they are looking for before coming to the site.

8. Delta uses their Facebook account to project the
ethos of the company. Their daily postings show
they are invested in the condition of their
employees, the safety of their customers, and the
wellbeing of both the community and the nation.
A large part of the posts from Delta are related
to their dedication to social causes. They have
shared videos and photos to display their
dedication to human rights and women's rights and
even changed their profile picture for the month of
October to recognize breast cancer awareness
month.
Delta also uses the Facebook platform to
communicate directly with customers with feedback
as well as producing weather warnings and
updates to make customers aware of possible
delays and cancelations. During times of severe
weather, they drastically increase their rate of
postings to give customers the most up to date
information.
Delta
Facebook
Southwest
Southwest's Facebook is a way for the
airline to engage with customers by
responding to customer feedback in a timely
fashion and promoting available travel deals.
They provide thoughtful customer service by
giving commenters solutions to their
problems and also making it personal by
including the name of the actual person
responding. By sharing photos of current
travel promotions, they are able to make
customers who are not subscribers to
mailing lists or on other media sites aware of
the deals and discounts available during
select times.
Another aspect of the Southwest
Facebook account is their creation of original
content highlighting their co-branding with
other companies and sharing their
customers' reactions.

9. Facebook
Delta is superior in engaging with customers on Facebook because they
use this platform to focus on what brings their customers back each time, their
unparalleled experience in the industry. They present themselves as something
more than an airline, which is how they want their customers to view their
flights as well. Its an experience rather than a flight. A place that provides
exceptional services to both the customer and the community.
They achieve this by making posts that matter to their customers. Rarely do
they try and promote a new credit card on this platform because it is used as a
organic way to quell concerns and show that those at Delta are inspired by
more than profits. They neither overload nor undersell themselves, but rather
post enough to stay relevant and on the top of the minds of customers.

10. Instagram
Delta Southwest
Delta's Instagram is more established with
an extensive assortment of saved stories and
posts coming almost every 3 days. Rather
than keeping in the professional feel of a large
portion of their media, they instead employ a
more casual dialogue with their followers.
While their postings include more
inspirational captions, they do emphasize all
the different places customers can go when
flying Delta by highlighting some of the
extraordinary and rare places they can take
customers. The photos posted are all high
quality and unique, often with bright colors.
They also use Instagram to give customers
and followers a behind the scenes perspective
of what it's like to work at Delta. Saved stories
create an interactive way to answer questions
on what it's like to work at Delta while also
highlighting the trips employees are able to
take as a perk of working with the company.
Southwest uses Instagram to highlight
their extensive and uniquely painted fleet
while also keeping up the lighthearted
connection with customers. They often use
jokes or puns within their captions to keep
followers engaged and attentive.
Another aspect of their Instagram profile
is the focus on their social outreach. They
used Instagram throughout National Teddy
Bear Day to facilitate a campaign across
media channels to promote their partnering
with Build - A - Bear Workshop to provide
children through the Make A Wish
Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House
Charities with their own co-branded teddy
bear.
Southwest also uses the platform to
inform customers of changes to their
services, such as ending the serving of
peanuts on all flights, and other important
issues.

11. Instagram
Southwest and Delta both have their faults when it comes to their
Instagram profiles. Neither of them use the platform as a way to
speak directly to customers through the use of comments or make
recognizable calls to action. Still, Delta does a better job at engaging
their customers over Instagram.
Delta gives their customers bits of content to contemplate by
providing them with ideas of where they could travel to next. On the
other hand, Southwest shows photo after photo of their planes from
the gate or runway.
The Instagram platform is not for the average business traveler,
which is one of Delta's target audiences, instead they use it as a way
to engage with those who enjoy imagining. Although used in a
professional manner as a company should, they make Instagram a
place to show more of their personality, or the fun part of Delta.

12. Twitter
Southwest
Southwest's Twitter is made up primarily
of promotions for lower fares and links to
information posts. They also do tweet the
community service the company as a whole
engages in as well as what their individual
employees do in their own communities and
around the world.
Though they do cross post very similar
content from their Facebook page,
Southwest also continues their laughable, no
frill's feeling throughout their Twitter page
through quick videos and puns. These
entertaining tweets are aimed at reminding
customers what makes Southwest different,
mainly their "bags fly free" slogan.
The Southwest Community page is the
company's main source of sharing
information to their Twitter followers. They
share a wide variety of topics from helpful
tips to weather updates all by linking to
articles and blog posts written on the site.
Delta
Delta uses their Twitter account as an
easy way to get information to customers
and how to share quick, pithy, and relevant
content to all followers. Through cross
posting from their Facebook account and
linking to their website blog, they are able
to keep a constant professional, but related
connection.
Some of the most common types of
content Delta shares via Twitter are quick
tips such as how to fly with children or how
to beat jet lag, travel updates and weather
advisories, changes to inflight amenities,
and photos and videos of the history of the
airline.
Delta also seeks to engage with
followers through asking for their input on
what they want on their flights through
votes and polling. The most common is
voting which movie will be new to inflight
entertainment for the upcoming month.

13. Twitter
The Twitter accounts of both Delta and Southwest have similar
levels of engagement for individual tweets. Even with more than
500,000 less followers, Delta still does a better job at marketing to
their target audiences.
Their frequent use of polls allows for real input from customers
and followers on a range of issues. These individuals are also
able to see the direct result of their engagement when using this
avenue.
Delta also exceeds Southwest in their creation of content
specifically for Twitter. Even though both airlines link to content on
other sites, Delta limits this and instead creates tweets and
threads that are friendlier and more acceptable to the format of the
platform.

14. Platform Summary & Conclusion
Website
Facebook
Delta Southwest
Instagram
Twitter
When analyzing Delta and Southwest, it is important to
understand that they are targeting drastically different types of
audiences. While Southwest has more followers on Twitter and
more likes on Facebook, it appeared that the level of engagement
that the brand received on both of these platforms was still equal
to Delta. The strongest aspect of Southwest’s media platforms is
by far their website. They provide their potential customers ways
to quickly book all they need for their vacation or quick flight in one
place and at a price without all the “frills”. Throughout all of their
platforms though it is evident that they are dedicated to providing
great service at the lowest cost.
Delta was superior in engaging with their customers because
they divided their target audiences based on platforms. While their
website was designed as a simple way to book flights, they
recovered throughout the other platforms. The audiences that are
drawn to Delta are those that are experienced travelers or desire
experience on the part of the company. Delta seeks to influence
travel throughout their customer base by providing information and
inspiration to go out and in their words, keep climbing. They
adapted their message to each individual platform to make sure
that their content was easily absorbable by their target audiences.