- Southwest Airlines is attempting to flex on competitors with a latest campaign highlighting the carrier’s perks through colourful vignettes, per a press release.
- “The Big Flex,” which launches wide April 22, depicts how customers profit from Southwest policies like the power to envision two bags free and receive flight credits and points that don’t expire. The brand is broadening its work with influencers to create localized content.
- The boastful effort developed with agencies Spark Foundry and GSD&M will appear across streaming, linear TV, social media and audio platforms. It follows a 12 months when Southwest was in recovery mode after a 2022 holiday travel meltdown dented consumer trust within the airline.
Southwest is positioning its services as a balm to the complexity and expense found at other carriers with “The Big Flex.” In an announcement across the launch, Vice President of Marketing Jonathan Clarkson took a shot across the bow at rivals that “nickel and dime” fliers with hidden fees.
New commercials showcase Southwest perks through character-driven stories. In one, a person swaggers out of his hotel onto the road, his confidence boosted by a head of bouncing curly hair. He explains to a girl at a crosswalk that he’s able to keep up the look by packing numerous shampoo on trips, a habit enabled by Southwest’s check-two-bags-free policy.
Another video, “MeeMaw,” shows a pair gleefully sliding right into a resort pool and telling other guests that they’ve been in a position to extend their trip an additional day resulting from Southwest offering flight changes with no fees. They thank meemaw, a slang word for grandmother, for taking good care of the children within the meantime.
Along with traditional spots, the campaign landing ahead of the summer travel rush includes partnerships with online creators who will produce content for specific Southwest destinations. The brand has moreover crafted ads targeted at key local markets.
“We’re expanding our collaborations with influencers to spotlight a lot of our amazing destinations,” said Julia Melle, director of brand name and content at Southwest Airlines, in an announcement. “We’re excited to ask a latest generation of Customers to see what the airline with Heart has to supply.”
“The Big Flex” arrives as Southwest continues to rebuild brand trust after a 2022 holiday SNAFU saw the carrier cancel hundreds of flights, leaving some 2 million passengers adrift during an important travel window. The company in December paid a $140 million civil penalty over the matter, an industry record.
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