Promotion Strategies, Research Paper Example

Airline companies typically promote their business through the use of television advertisements, although these methods are supplemented by many different strategies including online search advertisements, e-mail chains, and banner ads on public transportation. Ultimately, these promotions are placed in a manner that allows the maximum number of individuals to view them, which is necessary to remain competitive with other airline companies. Organizations in the airline industry focus on customer retention, and previous customers are targeted for new promotions in order to keep their business. In this manner, these ads are targeted to an audience that are most likely to purchase tickets again in the future.

Airline industries are able to market themselves effectively due to the associations they frequently have with airline distribution channels. These distribution channels include global distribution systems, corporate sales, travel agents, and the airline’s website. In the modern era, travel agents can be in a physical location or operate in the form of a website such as Orbit or Expedia. Often, airline companies offer third party agencies deals with regards to the price to travel to certain destinations, which they use to increase their ability to compete with their competitors and to fill seats that would have gone empty if they were sold at the regular price (Airline Data Project, n.d.).

The promotions issued by airline companies are effective because they are able to target the specific customer base that the promotions are aimed at. These companies have a comprehensive list of individuals that have used their services in the past and the marketing strategy is to convince these individuals to use their service again rather than choosing a competitor. As a consequence, many flyers have loyalty to a particular airline because this allows them to acquire discounts on flights and other items at the airport.

There are several leaders in this industry including Jet Blue, United, Delta, and Southwest for domestic flights. In the United States, this industry is consider one of the largest and makes more than $1.5 trillion in profit and creates more than 11 million jobs (Airline Industry Review, n.d.). As a consequence, there are many individuals with direct ties to the success of the industry, which makes competition between industry leaders even more fierce. While many consumers think about the airplane industry with regards to personal travel, it is important to consider that cargo transport is an essential aspect of this economy as well. Many passenger airplanes focus on marketing to individuals, but cargo planes advertise to both individuals and businesses. Some airlines, such as FedEx are heavily invested in global trade, as these commercial airplanes make it easier to ship goods across the world.

It is important to understand the promotion of airlines with regards to integrated marketing communications because understanding this relationship will allow this product to be advertised with maximum efficiency. It is necessary for members of the marketing team in all aspects of the airline industry to determine how to best reach out to potential customers and to convince them to continue giving their service to a particular airline. These marketing techniques will continue to evolve to accommodate new marketing strategies in a manner that will promote competition. As a consequence of this evolution, we now see airline advertisements everywhere; in our e-mails, on television, and on the streets, and we feel incentivized to remain partnered with a particular brand. This state demonstrates the efficacy of marketing, and it is likely that these techniques will continue to be optimized in the future.

References

Airline Data Project. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/airlinedata/www/default.html

Airline Industry Review. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/consultingclub/Resources/Airlines_Eric_Henckels.pdf