Old (Classic) Slogan, "Come Fly the Friendly Skies Again", Returns to the New UNITED.
Sep 20, 2013, 10:37 am
#107
Join Date: Apr 2007
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While this is much better than that pathetic ps commercial earlier this year, as others have pointer out this is just a lot of lip service. Not to mention the very flyer UNfriendly changes at the UC. Get your heads out of your a****, you're not as good as you think you are Jeff and Co.
Sep 20, 2013, 10:42 am
#108
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Our Nation's Capital
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Sep 20, 2013, 10:48 am
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...time-ad-agency
Sep 20, 2013, 10:50 am
#110
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Colorado Springs
Programs: UAMP Gold Million Miler; American, Delta, Southwest; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt; Marriott, A-Plus
Posts: 33
Well, I do like the commercials, but, alas, it's not true.
Recent example:
- Last might I flew from IAD to DEN. Checked in 4 hours early. Checked my bag. But the bag missed the flight. It's coming in this afternoon.
- United Club near C17. Never has Diet Coke or Coke Zero in the Fridge.
- Flight full, oversold. Asking for volunteers for a mere $200 travel credit, which we all know is not ever $200. If you are even dumb enough to take it.
- Hey, new seats on this A320. Actually pretty comfortable. But haven't been sat in 1M times yet.
- Hey, WIFI. $6.99. Worked pretty well. no complaints.
- But, no entertainment whatsoever. What's up with that?
- Incoming flight late, as usual.
- We left almost 60 mins late. As usual.
- FA's were very good. But, then again this was PM-UA metal, so PM-UA Crew.
So, how is that friendly?
Recent example:
- Last might I flew from IAD to DEN. Checked in 4 hours early. Checked my bag. But the bag missed the flight. It's coming in this afternoon.
- United Club near C17. Never has Diet Coke or Coke Zero in the Fridge.
- Flight full, oversold. Asking for volunteers for a mere $200 travel credit, which we all know is not ever $200. If you are even dumb enough to take it.
- Hey, new seats on this A320. Actually pretty comfortable. But haven't been sat in 1M times yet.
- Hey, WIFI. $6.99. Worked pretty well. no complaints.
- But, no entertainment whatsoever. What's up with that?
- Incoming flight late, as usual.
- We left almost 60 mins late. As usual.
- FA's were very good. But, then again this was PM-UA metal, so PM-UA Crew.
So, how is that friendly?
Sep 20, 2013, 10:59 am
#111
Join Date: May 2001
Location: HNL
Posts: 1,015
Ahhh, now it makes sense
Was surprised by UA's rather generous handling of last week's free ticket debacle. Now it makes sense, can you imagine the uproar had UA not only voided all the tickets (in what was a very widely covered event), but then tried to launch this 'friendly skies' campaign the following week - talk about epic fail 
Sep 20, 2013, 10:59 am
#112
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Our Nation's Capital
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott BonVoy LT Titanium Elite, National Executive Elite
Posts: 832
Aren't all ad campaigns overhyped? God knows that the previous work by Pentagram and PMUA, no matter how beautiful, was style over substance (which many here have even admitted as fact).
Methinks some are protesting a bit too much.
Methinks some are protesting a bit too much.
Sep 20, 2013, 11:03 am
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
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I don't disagree with the premise, but I think the argument is a bit hollow considering that until today, the commonly held position on FlyerTalk was that management should have focused on advertising and branding, rather than dedicating efforts to integration and operations.
Advertising & branding AND integration & operations are NOT mutually exclusive, no matter how often you try and paint it as a choice of one over the other.
Sep 20, 2013, 11:07 am
#115
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
Oh please...and stop trying to be "dissapointed". You spent some time lecturing us on how TV advertisements were a waste of money, UAL's strategy of minimal advertising was prudent, yada yada yada. Now you come here and speak of the "aspirational" benefits of this? I guess you weren't prudent to all of the senior leaderships plans like you thought, huh?
I'm dissapointed to see so many quickly doing their best to discredit anybody who dare not like anything the company does and label them as some sort of vendetta filled hater who can't like anything the company does! Sorry, this is a two way street.
As for me, you can count me down as happy UAL is finally doing something positive, and spending some major ad $$.
I'm dissapointed to see so many quickly doing their best to discredit anybody who dare not like anything the company does and label them as some sort of vendetta filled hater who can't like anything the company does! Sorry, this is a two way street.
As for me, you can count me down as happy UAL is finally doing something positive, and spending some major ad $$.
I think the disappointment originates with confusion about the "haters." If you don't like anything the company does, why would you continue to engage in a commercial relationship with the company and participate in a community for customers who want to do business with said company?
Sep 20, 2013, 11:33 am
#116
Suspended
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Programs: UA 1K MM; BA Silver; Marriott Plat
Posts: 8,243
This whole debacle is going to make the most amazing case study for future MBA classes.
First, the pathetic "cut and paste" PowerPoint style branding ...
Then, the lying and cheating, and "changes you're going to like" ...
Then, the SHARES disaster ...
Then, the "war against customers" ...
And, now, they just pretend none of this happened, and do a "make believe" branding campaign?
What I find most interesting about this, and what I think is the point of failure, is the disconnect between the branding and the reality. Everyone knows it. It fools nobody. And, therefore, it's a waste.
First, they failed to do any proper branding or marketing for, what, about 3 years?
And, now, they launch what appears to be a decently thought out and designed campaign, but it fails anyway, because it's demonstrably false and totally disconnected with reality.
I've never seen anything like this.
What they should have done is to develop a thoughtful campaign with a budget > $5,000 *and* grounded that campaign in reality. It would have needed to start with an acknowledgement of failures and reality, and then a humble plea for customers to return, backed with reasons why they should return.
Anything that comes from this company and fails to acknowledge the current state of affairs or recent customer experience, just comes across to me as tone deaf and arrogant.
First, the pathetic "cut and paste" PowerPoint style branding ...
Then, the lying and cheating, and "changes you're going to like" ...
Then, the SHARES disaster ...
Then, the "war against customers" ...
And, now, they just pretend none of this happened, and do a "make believe" branding campaign?
What I find most interesting about this, and what I think is the point of failure, is the disconnect between the branding and the reality. Everyone knows it. It fools nobody. And, therefore, it's a waste.
First, they failed to do any proper branding or marketing for, what, about 3 years?
And, now, they launch what appears to be a decently thought out and designed campaign, but it fails anyway, because it's demonstrably false and totally disconnected with reality.
I've never seen anything like this.
What they should have done is to develop a thoughtful campaign with a budget > $5,000 *and* grounded that campaign in reality. It would have needed to start with an acknowledgement of failures and reality, and then a humble plea for customers to return, backed with reasons why they should return.
Anything that comes from this company and fails to acknowledge the current state of affairs or recent customer experience, just comes across to me as tone deaf and arrogant.
Sep 20, 2013, 11:36 am
#117
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat, Copa Pres. Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 769
I like the new ads, and I like the bigger idea as well.
I do think the natural inclination is to take the word "friendly" and connect it to friendly flight attendants, gate agents, etc., but to me "flyer friendly" is more about delivering an experience that has been optimized for the frequent flyer. Customer service is part of that for sure - but the focus of the ads is much more on route network, flatbed seats, wifi, etc., etc.
I think it's actually a pretty creative and logical way to tie together all of those disparate investments and functional benefits. It's not dripping in emotion and nostalgia, but does connect the dots quite nicely IMO.
Rhapsody works really well with this campaign. It's grand and impressive - just like the world's largest airline should be, especially one that (in theory) uses that scale to deliver an experience that is "flyer friendly".
Here's my full take: http://first2board.com/foodwineandmi...w-ad-campaign/
I do think the natural inclination is to take the word "friendly" and connect it to friendly flight attendants, gate agents, etc., but to me "flyer friendly" is more about delivering an experience that has been optimized for the frequent flyer. Customer service is part of that for sure - but the focus of the ads is much more on route network, flatbed seats, wifi, etc., etc.
I think it's actually a pretty creative and logical way to tie together all of those disparate investments and functional benefits. It's not dripping in emotion and nostalgia, but does connect the dots quite nicely IMO.
Rhapsody works really well with this campaign. It's grand and impressive - just like the world's largest airline should be, especially one that (in theory) uses that scale to deliver an experience that is "flyer friendly".
Here's my full take: http://first2board.com/foodwineandmi...w-ad-campaign/
Sep 20, 2013, 12:22 pm
#118
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PBI / FLL / YUL
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I really want to be critical of these new ad videos but I cannot. I actually like the videos. I just wish the slogan was wholly consistent with the service received at times.
Sep 20, 2013, 12:33 pm
#119
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
I actually love the new ad campaign. It reminds me much more of pmUA's emphasis on class: an orchestra in tails (hey, that's my job!) playing Gershwin. What could be better?
I'm one of the last people to defend the new UA, but this is a positive step. This along with the new cabin crew uniforms and a marginally friendlier in-flight experience makes me feel like UA has a shot at becoming a winning team. Now if only they would remove the devaluation of elite benefits, a cumbersome reservation system, UC downgrades, bad domestic F food, etc. I might one day think about switching back from AA. Not today, but some day.
I'm one of the last people to defend the new UA, but this is a positive step. This along with the new cabin crew uniforms and a marginally friendlier in-flight experience makes me feel like UA has a shot at becoming a winning team. Now if only they would remove the devaluation of elite benefits, a cumbersome reservation system, UC downgrades, bad domestic F food, etc. I might one day think about switching back from AA. Not today, but some day.
Sep 20, 2013, 12:36 pm
#120
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Location: Bay Area, CA
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yeah but the messaging, if any, was accurate. Friendliness is not a trait many would cast on the current iteration of UA.
Do you not see the disconnect between promoting friendliness and the current product/service?