Frontier Airlines Rebranding Campaign

Frontier Airlines Rebranding Campaign

May 2005

Abstract

After baseline studies indicated that Frontier Airlines was unrecognizable in its own core business area, they decided a new image was in order. Frontier released their new ad campaign "A Whole New Animal," that built on their solid old brand, but conveyed their new goal - that they are affordable, flexible, accommodating, and comfortable. Frontier Airlines launched their new rebranding campaign calling itself "a whole different animal." The campaign uses the animals that are featured on the tails of the airline's airplanes, such as rabbits and foxes. By catching customer's attention with talking animals and their tag line, Frontier Airlines is now a very recognizable airline.

Frontier Airlines Rebranding Campaign

Frontier Airlines realized that after 10 years of operation it was time for a new image. Baseline studies indicated that the people in Denver, the airlines home base was not aware of the airlines. Frontier Airlines launched their new rebranding campaign calling itself "a whole different animal" in television, print and radio advertising. The campaign uses the animals that are featured on the tails of the airline's airplanes, such as rabbits and foxes.

Rebranding, as defined by Wikipedia Free Dictionary, is the process by which a finished product developed with one brand or company or product line affiliation is marketed or distributed with a different identity. This can be done purposefully or out of necessity. Frontier Airlines felt the necessity to re-identify themselves.

The original Frontier Airlines was Denver's hometown carrier for 40 years before it folded its wings in 1986 following its purchase by New Jersey-based People Express. The former Frontier carried 87 million passengers over the years and was nationally recognized for both the quality of its service and its outstanding safety record.

Seven years later, the new Frontier Airlines was launched on July 5, 1994 with two Boeing 737-200s on routes linking Denver to Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot, N.D. The company had 180 employees at startup.

As Frontier approached its 10th year of operation, Frontier officials realized an image shift was in order. The airline had established a reputation for friendly and reliable service, and reasonable airfares, mainly appealing to leisure travelers. But they realized they needed to reach a broader market and increase awareness in Denver.

About a year and a half before the new rebranding campaign was released, Frontier hired a local firm to do some baseline surveys in the Denver market, conducting random interviews at the airport and getting people to participate in focus groups. What Frontier found out was that in Denver, their home town and central business region, unaided awareness of Frontier was very low. This was an eye opener for Frontier, they had been operating on the theory that if you build it, they will come.

The airline utilized Boulder, Colo.-based Sterling-Rice Group, to conduct the consumer and employee research, including surveys and focus groups. Frontier also partnered with New York-based Sticky Grey, a division of Grey Worldwide New York, who provided the creative direction and content for the airline's advertising campaign, which supports the "whole different animal" theme.

Branding helps sellers to develop loyal customers and to show that the firm stands behind what it offers (p. 259 d'Amico). Frontier Airlines' rebranding campaign, launched in May 2003, with its "Talking Animals" TV and Radio ad campaign, starring Jack the Rabbit, Foxy the Fox, Grizwald the Bear, Flip the Dolphin, Larry the Lynx and Sal the Cougar, was the beginning of developing loyal customers. The animals featured in the ad are prominently displayed on the tails of Frontier's aircraft. The ads are the most visible part of the rebranding Frontier is attempting to make.

The ads were launched as part of a massive re-branding campaign, "A Whole Different Animal." (See Appendix A for graphical image). Frontier's new brand image built on the old one with a focus on a simplified fare structure, new aircraft, and flexible policies for ticket purchasing and rescheduling.

The rebranding campaign, with the clever ads and a stronger focus on the home market, showed instant results. (See Appendix A for growth chart). The Denver-based carrier's summer traffic rose 42 percent than the previous year and it continued into the fall and holiday travel seasons.

Frontier officials at that time were not ready to call the "Whole Different Animal" rebranding a complete success, but there was favorable customer response to their TV ad campaign. Frontier's goal was to raise the awareness of Frontier in there home market, and they did that.

Airlines measure how they're doing in the market by load factor, how full your flights are on average. Frontier's load factors were up about 10 percent compared to prior periods. The branding campaign helped make Frontier an airline of choice, not just a backup if someone has a bad experience or can't get a flight elsewhere. People are reacting to the ads and are becoming aware of Frontier.

Frontier began running the ads on seven cable channels including ESPN and A&E, following a 4 1/2-month run in the Colorado market. The lighthearted commercials won admiration from customers and marketing experts