Stuart Elliott, you never let me down. Here, the marketing tactic that JetBlue is using, experiential marketing, is highlighted. This is something that I find fascinating because I haven't seen it employed much in the industry thus far. Maybe I'm just missing it because it hasn't been done successfully. In terms of an airline, this marketing tactic may be effective.
“Customers who fly JetBlue appreciate it,” said Michael Stromer, director for e-commerce and interactive marketing at JetBlue Airways in Forest Hills, Queens, which makes it “so important to generate trial with potential customers.”
At the same time, “we’re in a world where people do not trust what companies have to say about themselves,” he added, “but they trust what other people tell them.”
Okay. So what's going on here, Elliott details, is that the marketers essentially want the consumers to do their marketing for them.
For instance, Arianne Cohen, the author of “The Tall Book: A Celebration of Life From on High,” praises the legroom on JetBlue aircraft, which offer several more inches than most domestic airlines’ coach cabins. The author is 6 feet 3 inches.
“She’s a perfect example” of what JetBlue is trying to accomplish, said Fiona Morrisson, director for brand and advertising at JetBlue. “Until someone tells you what three extra inches of legroom is, it’s hard to know what it means to you.”
“We were built on word of mouth,” Ms. Morrisson said of JetBlue, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. “We want to get customers to use their positive word of mouth to get our story out,” she added, and Ms. Cohen is “tall, she talks about JetBlue in her book and she’s a big fan.”
This marketing tactic can either be very successful, or can prove to be a huge bust. The representation of JetBlue is placed directly into the hands of their customers and it's admittedly a risky move. If I worked for JetBlue, I know that I'd be hesitant about taking such an approach, but the executives seem to be passionate and assured.
Taking a step back from the marketing perspective, I feel like this technique of advertising could work well for hospitality industries. Well, for the consumers of things in the hospitality industry. Certain establishments may take a hit or two, but that's the business. Using this technique brings a bit more honesty to it.
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