Yes, Air New Zealand’s “Pink Flight” targets a niche consumer and probably will sell out, as Eddy pointed out yesterday. The announcement has received a lot of press, some of it negative press about the misfired attempt at being fabulous via a simple news release. And several comments on Eddy’s post agreed the patronizing, cliche-driven news release language was indefensible.
So, could this announcement have been salvaged? Probably, through the appropriate channels – and a news release was not it.
A more appropriate option would be to control the message and the humor via a video announcement where camp and drag queens and cabaret music could come to life via flash technology.
The video could also make its way to YouTube and eventually as an email link to the video on the company’s website or as an embedded wav file into email chains. It could also be linked in media mailers and travel agent newsletters to further the outreach and finely control how the message is presented.
Anyone who follows the campy rise of MySpace icon Chris Crocker knows that irreverent humor doesn’t play well in black and white text. Can you imagine the thud of reading a transcript of his YouTube videos?!
There are any number of alternative outreach and activities that I would suggest to Air New Zealand. Prime among them would be for them to be more publicly and fully engaged in our community – and already positioned as the “fun” airline of us guys and gals – so that this novel escapist vacation announcement wouldn’t be a one-off cannonball. Southwest Airlines is a key example of setting the stage early as a non-conformist and running with it, even down to its humorous homemade customer service hold music.
Bottom line, consider the message. Evaluate the options available on line and off line. In today’s alternative media world, the traditional news release has a place but it’s not a turnkey answer for communications specialists anymore. In the end, all the media attention – good and bad – may drive countless Mardi Gras party goers to the airline’s Website for info. In pure site “hits,” it’s P.T. Barnum’s adage of no publicity being worse than bad publicity. Or is it? Let us know your thoughts.
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