When a man’s down on his luck it is kind to offer him a helping hand back up. However, it is rare for a company to do this in their campaign slogan.
Yet that is precisely what tour operator H.I.S. is doing for its spring vacations campaign, currently being heavily advertised on TV. It proudly announces “We support JAL” (H.I.S.は日本航空を応援しています), over images of JAL jets soaring phoenix-like into the skies. The bankrupt airline is in need of friends, having some 2.3 trillion yen ($25.4 billion) in debt as of late September last year.
H.I.S. points to five reasons to use JAL: their trustworthy network of routes; delicious meals; good in-flight entertainment; its safety with children; and their air miles system.
Now this is clever for several reasons: it latches H.I.S.’s seasonal promotions onto the slightly nationalistic sentiments that Japanese might feel for their troubled original carrier, and certainly pulls moral and emotional strings (we all want to help victims, right?). Also, people who might be concerned that the prices of the packages are TOO cheap will be reassured — oh, it’s that low because it’s through JAL, not because quality (or safety) has been jettisoned.
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