British Airways appointed Saatchi & Saatchi as its global advertising agency in 1982 to develop a global brand identity and advertising campaign. Saatchi & Saatchi launched the "The World's Favourite Airline" concept campaign in 1983 featuring the commercial "Manhattan Landing" showing the island of Manhattan rotating through the sky to London. The campaign aimed to boost British Airways' prestige but received mixed reactions internationally and faced opposition from some country managers. British Airways also ran business and leisure advertising campaigns to promote services like Concorde and package deals.
2. INTRODUCTION
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of UK and its
largest based on fleet size, international flights and
international destination
Measured by passengers it is the second largest in Britain
after Easy Jet
Founded – 31st march 1974
CEO- Keith Williams
Chairman: Lord King
HQ- Harmondsworth, England( UK)
3. CASE INTRODUCTION
Communication policy and integrated marketing
approach.
BA was the largest international airline in the world in
1982-83.
Sales revenue- UK (42%) , Rest of Europe(25%), Rest of
the World( 33%)
FCB was the global advertising agency partner in initial
years
Saatchi & Saatchi for 23 years and came up with slogan
“ THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE AIRLINE”
Current slogan “TO FLY TO SERVE”
4. ADVERTISEMENTS DURING 1970’s
In 1978 BA appointed FCB as its worldwide agency.
The country managers were free to determine their own
advertising, no approval required.
Rather than attempting to build the corporate image, BA
advertising emphasized superiority and differentiation in its
services.
However, inconsistent advertisement, campaign variation
across nations and boundary based restrictions were the
major drawbacks of BA’s advertising agency (FCB).
5. SAATCHI & SAATCHI
In October 1982, SAATCHI & SAATCHI (S&S) an advertising agency was
appointed.
To espouse the concept of global brand
To explore the possibility of developing an advertisement campaign
To bolster British Airways image.
S & S set up a Central Policy Unit (CPU) to plan and coordinate
work on the worldwide BA account.
Developed two sections:
One section handled advertising in the U K and Europe.
Second section handled advertising in rest of the world.
6. CONTINUE…
Out of the 62 countries in which BA had country
managers, S & S had wholly owned agencies in 20
countries and partially owned agencies in 17 countries.
In the remaining countries, S & S retained local
agencies to continue to handle the BA account.
S & S billed BA headquarters for all of its services
worldwide except India where legal restrictions
inhibited currency transactions.
7. CONTINUE…
BA country manager would work with the local S & S agency to
develop an advertising copy proposal which would be
submitted to a BA headquarter in London on a standard briefing
form.
S & S develop standard ad mats that would help them conclude
the frequency with which certain types of advertisement could
be shown.
BA country managers and their local agencies would simply
have to fill in the details of relevant destination and fare
information on these ad mats which would not have to submit
to London for approval.
8. CONTINUE…
The U S country managers developed proposals for the
inbound line of package tours from U S to U K.
Members of U S agency creative team and BA
executives from New York came to London to develop
proposed script for the commercials.
The same commercials were subsequently used in
South Africa and Carribbean with different voice-
overs.
9. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT
CAMPAIGN
Aim was to develop A advertising campaign to restore ba’s prestige and
image
S & S Came Up With The Concept Of Brand Image As Objective And Ideal
Advertising Quality Like---
Simple
Single Minded
Dramatic
Instantly Understood
Break New Ground
Visual Rather Than Verbal
Long Lasting
10. CONTINUE……
S&S REJECTED THE IDEA OF TRADITIONAL
MARKETING BECAUSE
Firstly, competitor could easily match product based claim.
Secondly, it only affect that portion of market who view benefit
on which superiority was claimed.
Approval of new advertising commercial
BA headquarter approved 4 advertising Commercials with
theme “the world’s favorite airlines”
Manhattan landing
Three preferential commercial
11. MANHATTEN LANDING
90 seconds video
Which shows the island of manhattan rotating slowly through sky across atlantic to
london with statement “ every year, we fly more people across the atlantic than
entire population of manhattan ”
PREFERENTIAL COMMERCIAL
3 COMMERCIALS ON SAME CONCEPT, ONE OF WHICH WAS—
INGRID BERGMAN (US FOOTBALL PLAYER) RECEVING AIRLINE TICKET AND BEING
DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT THEY WERE NOT BOOKED ON BRITISH AIRWAYS.
12. REACTION TO THE CONCEPT
CAMPAIGN
• Reaction to campaign varied
• It was well received in u s
• In former british colonies due to lack of credibility ‘the world’s favorite
airlines’ was met with reaction such as “you must be joking”
• It face difficulty in france and kuwait because it could only be shown in
cinema
• Disappointment of country manager since there was concern that it would
reduce fund availability for local tactical advERTISEMENT Used for fare and
schedule information.
13. CONTINUE…..
• JAPANESE COUNTRY MANAGERS STRONGLY OPPOSED IT ON
THE BASIS OF MARKET RESEARCH AS EVIDENCE SHOWING
THAT HIS MAIN CHALLENGE WAS SELLING BRITAIN AS
DESTINATION RATHER THAN DEVELOPING CONSUMER
PREFERENCES.
• HEADQuaRter IN RESPONSE RAISED TOTAL BUDGET AND
ALLOCATED 40% OF NEW BUDGET TO CONCEPT CAMPAIGN
AND 60% TO TACTICLE LOCAL ADVERTISING.
14. THE 10th APRIL LAUNCH
• BA DECIDED TO LAUNCH THE TELEVISION COMMERCIAL ON APRIL 10 WITHIN U K.
• INVITATION MAIL WAS SENT TO ALL EMPLOYEES TO VIEW INTRODUTORY COMMERCIAL
FROM LORD KING (THE CHAIRMAN)
• LOGO AND SLOGAN WAS TO BE INCORPORATED SAME IN ALL BA LOCAL TACTICAL
ADVERTISINGS.
• WITHIN 2 WEEKs IT WAS BEING AIRED IN 20 COUNTRIES.
15. CONCEPT CAMPAIGN IN U S
U S was one of the country in which concept campaign
was launched on 10th April.
Survey was conducted IN New york and Los Angeles in
march 1983 that showed the following,
> Unaided awareness of BA as a leading international
carrier.
> Unaided recall of BA advertising.
> BA was mentioned as one of the three largest airlines
in the world.
> BA was mentioned as one of the three best
international carriers.
16. CONTINUE…
The BA managers viewed the concept campaign as a
means of advertising some of these deficiencies.
Since the claim ‘’the world’s favorite airline” was well
documented, the U S country manager did not
anticipate a legal challenge from Eastern Airlines,
which used the slogan ‘’America’s favorite way to fly”.
The media plan for the concept campaign called
Manhattan Landing was scheduled to be shown four
times on national network television.
17. BUSINESS CAMPAIGN
The campaign was developed to outspent by Pan Am
& TWA in BA gateway cities.
The three objectives were established for 1983-84
business advertising campaign:
1) Increase awareness of the name super club as a
service better than Pan Am & TWA
2) Increase the knowledge of the features of all three
BA travel services: concorde, first class & super
club
3) Maximize the benefits of BA’s concorde in
marketing efforts directed at first class & super
club consumers.
18. LEISURE CAMPAIGN
BA advertising targeting the leisure traveler had
traditionally focused on BA’s hotel, car rental &
package tour bargains.
The objectives for this campaign were:
1) Capitalize on BA’s reputation as a marketer of
good vacation buys, reinforcing consumers
willingness to arrange their vacations with BA
2) Promote awareness of and demand for BA’s
summer transatlantic leisure oriented fare of
$549 round-trip.
19. RECOMMENDATION
BA should spend on the concept campaign as it
would be possible to reduce the expenditures on
campaign in the long-run if it becomes successful.
Appropriate funds should be allocated to run the
campaign even in local markets.
BA should allocate more funds to the tactical
advertising in markets like far east region where
price competition is high.
BA should avoid delay and cancellation of flights in
order to gain the confidence of the customers.
