Coming to a JetBlue Seat Near You: Grounded C-Suiters

Effort Helps Former Private Jetters Make Transition to Commercial

Posted by Rupal Parekh on 02.18.09 @ 04:37 PM

JetBlue took out some funny full-page ads today in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times targeting a new -- and fast-growing -- set of travelers the airline hopes to welcome aboard: bigwigs being forced to downgrade to commercial travel.

The cheeky, copy-heavy ads were created by JWT, New York, and address "basically anyone with a 'C' in their title," folks with "secret seven-figure bonuses" and "owners of $35,000 antique commodes." The commercial flying-impaired (the likes of former Lehman Bros. chairman Dick Fuld, spotted last month at JFK's JetBlue terminal trying to figure out the check-in kiosk) are directed to a new section of the carrier's website erected especially in their honor.

There, former private-jetters can search for deals -- aka "shareholder-friendly prices." To assuage their grief, JetBlue explains the best they can offer. "All our seats are leather, just like you're used to." Heehee!

Good luck to Cessna, which is trying to keep the private-jet set flying by challenging their manhood.

2 Comments

By RJGadage | North Olmsted, OH February 24, 2009 04:43:09 am:

No matter what the situation is or the crisis at hand, Madison Avenue creativity will always find a clever way to deliver a message. Here's jetBlue who relabeled a group of customers to fill an entirely new flying class during a financial holocaust. The copy is great. This goes into my "wish I had done that" file.

R J Gurda - Cleveland

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By kirt | Westwood, NJ February 24, 2009 01:22:54 pm:

This is a brilliant strategy by Jet Blue once again.
Professionals may consider the next few years the era of transparency.

Many more major corporations, professionals and business persons will have to start looking for less expensive methods of flying around.

Low cost is an avenue of which Jet Blue is a leader.

I like the Jet Blue creativity and campaign. But the copy sucks. It's too crammed on that page --- Colors could work though.

This makes sense for companies and executives to show how much they have changed by switching over to a less expensive Jet Blue executive program.

And Jet Blue hit it right out of the park.

Except for that one screw up when the company did not cancel flights in New York and hundreds of passengers got stuck for up to 10 days.

Jet Blue has bounced back nicely to do what they do best. Offer low cost air fares and quality service. Their PR and marketing teams are back in the cockpit.

Kirt Cable "The Ace of Direct Response" Copywriting, is one of the leading business advisors to "Top Producers". He can be reached at iaserv@yahoo.com or www.cablecopy.com

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