Air Transport
Article | July 6, 2022
Hit by the impact of the COVID-19 slump, airline businesses are enduring a major crisis no matter how recognized they were before. The crisis has pushed airline businesses to re-look at how to manage and operate their operations. It even includes re-positioning in the airline industry’s competitive market landscape.
In a time like this, you need to delve deep when you update your airline brand positioning strategy. Your marketing team will have to be versatile and adapt to a new set of planning strategies. They should be mindful of aspects to reduce risks and overcome challenges that the pandemic caused. It’s time to rise again through hindrances that affected your airline brand image to go down. Let’s throw some light on why brand positioning in marketing has become necessary now.
Importance of Re-positioning of an Airline Brand
Brand positioning in marketing is receiving snowballing attention in airline marketing today. Adopting versatile branding concepts creates optimism to provide value to products and services. And such concepts help products and services to perform well on various distribution channels.
The values play an active role in brand positioning and so in re-positioning. Since customers’ activities have transformed in the new era of digitalization, deciding afresh on values will help you position your brand for the future. The branding must include a proper blend of physical and emotional values to make the brand both powerful and meaningful.
When faced with challenges, it’s natural for even large airline businesses to become unrecognizable by customers. Thus, showcasing your brand as unique as possible becomes hard-hitting to differentiate from the competition. In that case, the idea of re-positioning requires consistent branding strategies. The strategies can help in many ways. A few of them are maintaining customer loyalty, encourage awareness, and showing customers your presence in the market.
Therefore, to build deeper relationships with customers by re-positioning your airline brand, there are some important steps to follow. The stepwise guide will help in creating a competent brand positioning framework development. But remember, the framework should be defendable for growth.
6 Steps to Follow: Re-position your Airline Brand
Determine your Values
Start by considering the values that will represent your airline business brand. By finding the values, it will make you different from the rest of the competitors. Especially in a case where you are going for product marketing or service as an ordinary in the market or marketing it extraordinarily.
Your aim gives you essential insight into what and how to go with the brand again in the new normal. Thus, try to analyze and research aspects of your competitors as well.
We fight every day to stand out. We know our customers like to sound and feel authentic about brands. So, we believe that instead of building a complex picture of our airline brand (where no one will be able to understand), we prefer humanization.
- Kevin Krone, the Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Southwest Airlines.
In realizing this aspect, your marketing team can innovate by creating campaigns to improve brand image.
Identify the Competitors Surrounding and Research
After recognizing the brand values, it’s requisite to analyze competitors serving in the market as you. You can do it by performing competitor analysis. The analysis will help to decide how better you can do in creating your brand positioning strategy.
To start with it, there are different methods for determining your competition. They are:
Do a thorough competitor research
You can take guidance from your sales team to study what and how competitors develop their distinctive ideas with sales. Then, identify them through in-depth market research on their tactics of positioning their brand. To conduct it, include the following points into your research:
What are the services or products competitors do offer?
What are the brand positioning strategies they are using to ensure success?
What is the current position of their brand in the market?
It will be easy for you to set your aim to re-position your airline brand by putting these considerations forefront.
Take Feedbacks from customers
Connect with your existing and potential customers. Try to know what services or products they are considering according to the present scenario.
Use the power of social media
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Quora, Facebook, and other online forums offer interaction with consumers. You can ask questions about products and services. Use these forums to discover competitors in your role.
Find your Brand’s Uniqueness
Building a unique brand image (by keeping a similar aim as before) will make you different from the competitors in the airline industry.
We are the same exact airline that we were before. We are not walking away from our DNA.
- Kevin Krone
Your well-researched step on competitors will help to learn about branding patterns in the new normal. In addition, by looking at their weaknesses and strengths, you might get a chance to know your strength. This aspect will make your brand unique.
Develop a Re-positioning Statement
Once you know your customers' thoughts, you need to develop a statement that portrays your message. If you aim to convey that your business offers the best services or products in the market during the current economic slump, then it’s imperative to keep a razor-sharp focus on a brand positioning strategy.
For example, you can include your ROI data. Use it as a statement in online paid ads, social media platforms, campaigns, emails, and other marketing methods. By doing this, you will be able to grab your existing and potential customers’ attention. And see how potential ones become loyal towards your business in no time.
There’s no definite way to re-position your existing airline brand in times of the pandemic. But there are some crucial ways to do it. The ways are customizing efforts enable significant chances to offer quality services and products to reach customers.
Test your Re-positioning Statement—if it works!
Once your re-positioning statement is formed, it’s time to test it. Try to do experiments with the help of feedback collection from customers. The feedbacks should cover if they are conveyed with the right message. Therefore, in this way, you can know whether your brand achieved its goal or not.
As you invest effort and time into re-positioning your airline brand, it’s helpful to keep in mind the type of consumers, demographic segmentation, and verticals. These verticals provide a deep insight that content and its aim remain advantageous to your brand.
Develop your Brand’s Reference Frame
Your brand’s reference will be an accurate way for customers to perceive it in the right way. Having a genuine brand positioning framework today is vital for re-positioning. And with the help of an on-point brand development strategy, you can plan it extraordinarily. Once you have created the frame of your brand, it is advisable to keep a focus on reaching achievable goals.
Successful Re-positioning Efforts Drives Growth
As you are aware that a strong branding of an airline business makes all the difference when you enter the market, similarly, re-positioning also makes a difference when you have to outshine again amid challenges. So, having a definite approach will ensure success for your brand and drive growth amid the ongoing pandemic challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can airline businesses improve their brand image?
An airline business runs with a multitude of functionalities. Every function plays a responsible role in improving the brand image. Thus, some crucial ways are discussed below:
Create the right message which should be synonymous with brand value or perspective
Stay in contact with customers through various marketing ways
Keep track of strategies and implementation
Turn data into intelligence
Keep an eagle eye on competitors and their activities
Keep employees in the loop
What are the best branding strategies for airline businesses?
The best branding strategies for airline businesses are as follows:
Cost control strategies
Social media campaigns
Creative advertisement
Loyalty programs
Use power of influencers
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Stay in contact with customers through various marketing ways
Keep track of strategies and implementation
Turn data into intelligence
Keep an eagle eye on competitors and their activities
Keep employees in the loop "
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Aviation Technology
Article | July 26, 2022
This week, the GE Gas Power team launched season five of Cutting Carbon, their award-winning podcast that focuses on climate change, the basics of what decarbonization is and the technologies behind it. In season five, the team is focused on decarbonization closer to home and invited Arjan Hegeman, GE Aviation’s general manger for advanced technologies, to talk about the future of flight.
Learn more about the role of GE Aviation’s technologies available today and in development for tomorrow to make aircraft engines more fuel efficient and reduce carbon emissions. Open fan, hybrid electric and hydrogen combustion are all discussed by Hegeman and the hosts. Over two episodes, Hegeman also explains the importance of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), along with the new engine technologies, to help the aviation industry reach its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Future of Flight is a two-part episode, and can be found as Episode 27 and Episode 28 under Cutting Carbon. You can listen to the podcast here or on your favorite streaming platform!
The aviation industry is at an inflection point for new technology introduction and acceleration of technology development, Hegeman says. GE Aviation is currently developing its next-generation suite of engine technologies, including open fan engine architecture, hybrid-electric propulsion, and advanced thermal management concepts. GE Aviation is also supporting industry initiatives to approve and adopt 100% SAF and is partnering on a new flight demonstration program to test zero-carbon hydrogen fuel combustion.
GE’s ambition is to be a net zero company by 2050, including the Scope 3 emissions from the use of sold products. GE is also committed to being carbon neutral by 2030 in its own facilities and operations, including Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
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Air Transport
Article | July 26, 2022
The pandemic has caused a deeper level of disruption, which brought the aviation industry to a standstill for months. After facing long months of hardship, what vision and steps will be for airline recovery? This is a significant concern. This would now require complete planning over some crucial areas that form the pillars of the aviation industry.
It is especially airline businesses that require a novel set of advancements to build operational confidence. As the industry is rebooting, technology is benefiting. Be it robotics, IoT, biometrics, seamless integration, automation, and more will aid businesses and their processes.
Therefore, the industry’s next vision is being set according to the evolving changes in the airline industry due to covid-19. It will establish resilience and flexibility for businesses to adapt to changing conditions while improving efficiency.
Here are the key considerations that will be seen as airline recovery curbing airline challenges to plan new avenues beyond 2021.
Collaboration
Collaboration in the aviation business landscape has been the most important consideration after the pandemic affected the industry. Keeping the vision of collaborating with stakeholders and the commercial airline industry to focus on business and customer confidence will restart operations safely.
Collaboration in the future will have a better grasp and be more efficient because of better coordination of data sources being introduced currently. Collaboration becomes even more crucial in the coming years, where you will need updated and accurate information about your business operations. This vision will enhance chances of the following aspects as well:
Customized Experience
Leading to the modifications happening in the industry, you will be able to offer customized services to customers. Advanced integration functionalities will allow forming a contactless and personalized experience to curb the challenges prevailing. Providing transparent and reliable information to customers is one of the critical aspects of airline recovery and rebooting happening now. This is why a customized experience will aid airline businesses more safely in the coming years.
Personalization
Today, airlines, governments, and stakeholders are developing best practices for the immediate future of business with a greater focus on personalization throughout the service journey. It will help attract potential customers and end the general approach, which the industry was practicing before the pandemic.
Monitoring
To design a post-pandemic business model, you can look at the types of technological solutions and processes that have already been started and would emerge beyond 2021.
It has been envisioned that airline industry analysis, coupled with monitoring, would allow businesses to manage resources more efficiently. In this way, deployment of the technology stack will be more accessible according to the need. This will strive to reduce crowds at airports and, therefore, effective management with the help of predicted monitoring will be in action.
Digital Solutions
The new normal in the aviation industry, using technology, would continue to ensure physical contact is diminished or might be eliminated in the future. Mandatory digital checks, implementation of digital platforms, contactless services, and information collected through mobile devices are some elements of the new business models. The industry's vision in the coming years is to demonstrate how it can use digital technology for transformation at scale.
Advanced Processing System
The next, the aviation industry foresees, is utilizing technology for automation, security, identity management, and robotics. Using these, you can develop attractive yet safe experiences for staff as well as customers. The advancing data processing system and management offer a seamless module for companies to handle risks, controls, handling, and tracking. The inclusion of the advanced system at the airport, airline companies will make the process function efficiently. And because of optimized coordination through automated touchpoints, chances of an increase in revenue will be higher and faster than before.
Remote Processing
The continuous advancement of airline activities will significantly support capacity limitations in the coming years. Because of this, you will have safer processing of data and information without any threats or breaches.
The pandemic has put greater focus on the need for such a flexible approach with resilience. Also, it brings urgency to the availability of technology to use while going remote so that you can provide flexibility to your employees to work frictionless.
The industry's vision in its plan is to unlock the full benefits of technology to access and initiate global coordination remotely.
A Changed Way to do Business Today—Sustainability
Companies operating in the airline business are still understanding to survive in the times of COVID-19. Being fast and evolving is the only way they realized to fight against the current situation.
The new normal is bringing changes in the airline industry post covid. This will help the industry to get back its wings to forecast and set up its next vision in the future.
Therefore, industry stakeholders need to quickly put immediate business restart efforts to focus on sustainable implementations. This will make the future actions of the aviation industry monitor and evaluate effectively well in response to the ongoing pandemic. Also, it would help them be ready to face even harsh circumstances if anytime it approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the risks to the aviation industry during COVID-19?
The level of risk is on the rise in the COVID-19 situation at present in the aviation industry. It may affect the operation, new business models, management, monitoring, and evaluation more as remote work culture is hyped.
What are the main sectors of the airline industry that need improvement?
There are limited sectors in aviation. However, the main ones that need improvement are commercial aviation and business aviation.
What are the crucial areas of operation in the aviation industry?
Flight operations are crucial, including operation control, connectivity, network, data handling, integration, maintenance planning, and software.
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Defense and Space
Article | June 8, 2022
Whether you’re a small, newer airline looking to make a splash in the online world or a niche brand wanting to expand your customer base, you’ll need the right aviation marketing strategies in your arsenal. Similar to any other industry in today’s market, digital strategies are non-negotiable for brands in the aviation space who are hoping to connect with customers online and restore customer confidence in the aftermath of COVID-19.
And if you’re looking to take your brand to the digital skies, you need impactful strategies that help you offer a seamless customer experience. Let’s look at five strategies you can use for your aviation marketing strategy.
Aviation Marketing through Social Media
Visibility is a hugely important goal to achieve for any business. After all, how can you hope to attract new customers if no one knows about you? This is especially true and important for smaller airlines or those not operating in the commercial space. For example, when the average customer thinks about traveling by plane, they probably aren’t considering private airlines.
But if customers see content online about airlines, perhaps even highlighting that some private airlines fall in their price range, things can change. Once customers are aware of your company, you’re one step closer to securing a sale. The key is getting in the picture in the first place—something social media can do.
In addition to visibility, use social media to keep your customers informed. Despite us seemingly living in a post-COVID world, uncertainty is still a big factor that customers and airlines alike have to consider. Positive coronavirus results or transmission outbreaks can throw a wrench in travel plans right up until check-in, but social media offers a way to keep customers informed with live information and updates.
Airlines can use social media platforms like Twitter to post live updates on flights, including regular information on delays, but also more unexpected and yet super useful updates on things such as weather conditions at their destination.
And if you’re looking for international aviation marketing strategies as a multinational company, social media is a great way to connect with customers across territories too, thanks to its global reach.
Digital Customer Service Strategies
We saw during COVID-19 how important it was to provide quick, accurate information to customers, with things like up-to-date websites, live social updates, and automated texts for flight changes. These strategies all helped to streamline customer service offerings, as well as free up helplines and customer service booths at airports, and they have helped establish a new benchmark when it comes to customer service.
Having a solid customer service strategy in place is more important than ever—specifically, having one that’s responsive, flexible, and digital. This means offering smart chatbots that can assist with frequently asked questions, detailed guidance online addressing common challenges that customers face, and over-the-phone support in multiple languages that can enhance an international aviation marketing strategy.
Customer service might not seem like it matches with airline marketing, but going above and beyond for your customers is essential in creating the right reputation for your brand. Establishing your company as a gold-star service provider will not just give you something to shout about online, but it will also keep customers loyal and engaged with you too.
Mobile Solutions
We all know that the future is mobile—and it’s no different for aviation companies, who have that same pressure to keep up with technological advancements if they want to provide the best service possible for their customers.
Smartphones are an integral part of all of our lives, and they’re now just as important as ever, as people are taking their digital identification with them on their travels. Aviation companies must recognize the company they keep in the travel space, where mobile apps support customers on their journeys and trips—from navigation to weather and accommodation to ridesharing. Without an interactive app or fully mobile-friendly site, an airline’s strategy for marketing won’t be as impactful.
Customers used to have to carry printed versions of their flight documents in order to board, including boarding passes and booking confirmations, but things aren’t so paper-based anymore. Digital wallets that keep boarding passes safe and apps that store customers’ flight information are the norm now.
Mobile apps are also fantastic for driving loyalty programs. With an interactive app where customers can collect and cash in loyalty points, you not only provide an easy way for customers to enjoy their rewards, but also make flying more accessible and cost-effective.
In a post-COVID market, there is even more of an emphasis on contactless travel—another area where mobile solutions can play a key role. Phones allow consumers to have all their information handy, and other contactless technology helps facilitate airport management.
Content that Creates Real Connections
Digital content has the potential to reach a wider audience and, more importantly, turn readers into customers, so it should be included in any airline marketing strategy. Showing customers exactly what your company can do for them, and how you do it, is crucial for establishing strong branding and customer relationships. It’s how airlines can differentiate themselves from their competitors and add value to their services.
Meaningful content that your audience will trust includes user-generated content that offers real insights into what it’s like to be a customer of your company, such as honest reviews and feedback from real customers. You can deliver this content in a variety of ways—e.g., blogs, videos, social media, PR—but however you choose to do so, be sure to keep the story at the forefront of your narrative to create those all-important connections with customers.
Omnichannel Digital Experiences
Alongside social media, there are a slew of other digital channels that should be considered in your digital strategy. This is hugely important because of the myriad ways that consumers interact with the online world nowadays. If it’s not live Twitter updates, it’s check-in reminder emails. The point is that brands need to be present across different platforms and digital mediums in order to provide a competitive and effective experience for their customers.
For airlines, it’s about making sure that no matter what device a customer is using, their journey is cohesive and streamlined. They should be able to switch seamlessly between your website on their laptop and emails on a tablet, with the right information easy and quick to find in a consistently branded way.
It’s also worth considering that people tend to carry multiple devices with them while traveling, making it even more important for airlines and airports alike to offer omnichannel digital content to their customers.
Conclusion
Whatever part of your aviation branding or marketing you need support with, the team at TPT Digital can take your brand to new heights. The 2022 Aviation Festival is a great opportunity for learning, connection, and collaboration—come and say hello to us there!
Also, get in touch if you’d like to discuss how TPT Digital can support your paid social media content. We’re happy to give you a free quote.
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