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NYTIMES = UA defined as "struggling"

 
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Old Aug 25, 2008, 8:58 am
  #1  
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NYTIMES = UA defined as "struggling"

In an otherwise upbeat article, this morning's NYTIMES rated the various Olympics commercials. Every single other company was just called by the company name, even GM was noted as a company that was trying to "remake itself", which also strikes me as a positive statement.

While the UA ads won "Gold" for their content, the paragraph about the UA ads described the airline as "struggling":

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/sp...er&oref=slogin

In case the link quits working, here's the text of the UA part:

UNITED AIRLINES Some of the best Olympic commercials were for the struggling United Airlines unit of UAL. Exceptional animation made them lovely to watch, and lush versions of “Rhapsody in Blue” made them a pleasure to listen to. A spot featuring an orchestra of sea creatures was superb. Gold.
milepig is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2008, 9:09 am
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Well....

They are struggling.....
msonich is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2008, 9:15 am
  #3  
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Every time one of the ads come on with the tag line, "Try our new international C and F" (or whatever), I thought to myself, "Maybe I would, if there were any of them flying to any international destination I was going to!"

I continue to be amazed how it's OK to advertise a feature found on fewer than 10% of United's international flights, none of them reliably bookable in advance.
RichardInSF is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2008, 9:22 am
  #4  
 
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United risks displeasing its customers by not having many of its planes reconfigured while simultaneously advertising new C & F cabins.
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Old Aug 25, 2008, 9:28 am
  #5  
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Who would actually choose to fly on C/F based off of a commercial? I think that most leisure travelers would travel in Y. Business travelers fly based off of their corporate contract. Savvy leisure/business travelers already know the scoop on aircraft, and don't get their info from an Olympics commercial.

I think the commercials are just to advertise UA in general, and show that they have SOME nice planes (they ARE nice!).

I don't think anyone is going to book an international C/F ticket based off of the commercial, then be surprised when they get an old config 777.
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Old Aug 25, 2008, 9:58 am
  #6  
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I think describing UA as "struggling" is much kinder that it really is.
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Old Aug 25, 2008, 11:02 am
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They could have said "death rattle" but thats a little too hyperbolic
MSPFlyGuy is offline  


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