Northwest Airlines Announces Major Shift in Brand Positioning

New Domestic and International Ad Campaigns Launch Today

Northwest Airlines has announced its first major shift in domestic and international brand advertising in five years. An ad campaign focusing on Northwest's hassle-free, "easy to do business with" approach begins today in major and hub city newspapers and electronic media across the United States and Asia.

Carmichael Lynch and Ogilvy & Mather advertising agencies collaboratively created the new brand positioning work. Ogilvy & Mather is responsible for international ads that are running in the United States and Asia, and Carmichael Lynch is responsible for domestic advertising. The campaign offers a series of ads focusing on the tangible improvements and customer benefits of the airline. Today's international ad will focus on Northwest's new and improved World Business Class.

"The ads will let our customers know the specific ways we can make their travel experience, from booking a flight through arriving at their destination, easier," said Craig Braasch, managing director-worldwide advertising and sponsorships. "Ads will focus on booking and buying tickets online, Northwest's status as on-time airline of the decade, plus ConnectFirst and WorldPerks programs."

The phrase 'clearing the way' will be used in all ads. "This conveys our philosophy of reducing hassles to clear the way for fast and easy travel, free of inconveniences," said Beth Shultis, vice president-marketing programs and worldwide advertising.

Northwest relied heavily on consumer and employee input in deciding upon the new brand positioning. More than 100 Northwest employees and 700 business and leisure travelers from the U.S. and Asia provided their thoughts.

"The employees felt the ads showed Northwest is in touch with passengers and we understand what they want," said Shultis. "And the customers in all the tested markets said that the ads showed the people of Northwest cleared the way for them to fly the way they want."

The campaign geared toward domestic travelers relies heavily on warm images of people in common settings. Ads include an image of a smiling woman with the headline, "Grab an earlier flight and score some points at home, in addition to miles." Another ad shows two teenage girls in front of a computer, with the headline, "Teenage daughters are all that stand between you and your aisle seat," referring to customers' ability to book travel online.

"There is a very positive momentum occurring at Northwest Airlines. They are making it easier for passengers at every turn and this campaign shows how they are helping to clear the way," said Jack Supple, chairman, chief creative officer, Carmichael Lynch.

The international ads have an icon of a small aircraft and route graphic connecting two points or ideas. One ad shows a man and woman seated in World Business Class. The woman is gazing out the window with the aircraft icon above her. The caption reads, "Deep in existential thought." The man is playing a golf game on a laptop computer and the icon caption is "Deep in a sand trap." Another World Business Class ad shows the aircraft icon flying between "Today" and "Tomorrow" with the caption, "A comfortable new place to be."

"In essence the international advertising contemporizes the new World Business Class product," said Jeff McClelland, senior partner and worldwide account director, Ogilvy & Mather. "The plane icon indicates following one's own flight path, while showing customers enjoying their flight. This creative direction gives Northwest the credit it deserves as an industry leader in performance and innovation."

Northwest is the world’s fourth largest airline offering more than 2,600 daily departures with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam. With its travel partners, Northwest serves more than 750 cities in over 120 countries on six continents. Northwest and KLM received Air Transport World magazine’s “Airline of the Year” award in 1997 based on their extensive alliance and benefits for the traveling public.