United Airways desires you to keep in mind that its hub at Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) is nearer than you would possibly assume.
That is why the airline launched into an promoting blitz round New York Metropolis, resuming probably the most standard and catchy campaigns it has run in recent times.
Particularly, the airline’s “time to fly United out of Newark” marketing campaign started reappearing on high of taxi cabs and at digital kiosks across the metropolis. Almost 3,000 screens on high of yellow cabs and at bus stations will characteristic a stay GPS-based comparability of journey time from the present place to each John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) and EWR. These estimates are digitally up to date in actual time and range primarily based on present site visitors.
Need extra airline-specific information? Join TPG’s free biweekly Aviation e-newsletter.
That mentioned, United is clearly assured that EWR will repeatedly beat JFK because it invests on this revived advert marketing campaign. I count on the advertisements to run in downtown Manhattan, round midtown and maybe even the Higher West Aspect — areas the place it is often sooner to drive to EWR than it’s to JFK. (After all, the advertisements neglect to contemplate public transportation choices.)
As United explains, “JFK has lengthy been thought-about ‘New York’s Airport.’ Nevertheless, Newark has many claims to be higher for New York vacationers; essentially the most compelling being its proximity.”
In the event you’re a long-time New Yorker, you would possibly keep in mind that United first debuted this actual advert marketing campaign in 2017. It was fairly profitable, as United noticed a rise of roughly 720,000 Newark passengers all through the marketing campaign, as in comparison with the identical interval through the prior yr. Additionally, United’s “model favorability rating” elevated from 39% to 55% whereas the advertisements ran, in keeping with information from Edelman Intelligence.
The airline even gained a Cannes Lions promoting award in 2018 for the advert marketing campaign.
As such, it might not essentially be stunning to see these advertisements reappear in 2023. For now, the airline is planning a limited-time run by Might 21, although it is potential that the activation will get prolonged relying on the success of the marketing campaign.
Join our every day e-newsletter
Historically, when individuals take into consideration flying to or from New York Metropolis, many first contemplate LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and JFK earlier than remembering that EWR is one other good choice.
United operates a hub at Newark, and it calls LaGuardia — the place it flies to Chicago, Denver, Houston and Washington, D.C. — an necessary outstation. The airline now not has a presence at JFK after it ceased flying there late final yr.
On the finish of October, the airline misplaced the slots that allowed it to function from JFK — a key driver for its most up-to-date service suspension. Slots are basically permissions granted by the Federal Aviation Administration to permit an airline to land or depart at a given time at capacity-constrained airports, together with JFK.
United traditionally served JFK for a few years, but it surely pulled out of the airport in 2015 underneath the course of former CEO Jeff Smisek. The withdrawal, since dubbed a “strategic mistake” by present CEO Scott Kirby, prompted the airline to lose necessary (and profitable) company contracts with a few of its Most worthy clients.
United strategically used the demand downturn related to the pandemic to muscle its approach again into JFK in March 2021. Nevertheless, that pandemic-era trial ended final fall when it wanted to return the non permanent slots it was utilizing.