PBSB 812
Marketing Management
Kulula
Chicken Run
More about Kulula
• Launched in 2001
• First low cost airline in SA with food optional at
extra cost (pay per item)
• Established by Comair which is a franchise of
British Airways
• Kulula means “Easily” in Zulu
• Marketing Strategy can be summed up by words:
– Cheap (Amazing deals!)
– Convenient
– Online
More about the Marketing Strategy
• Uses “Ambush Marketing” with great success
• Use of humour – using current news events to
capitalize on – use to their advertising
advantage
– For ex. During 2010 using FIFA’s “draconian” rules
to their advantage. “Unofficial carrier of the YouKnow-What” – was withdrawn. Similar to Nando’s.
• Works well, as it catches lots of attention.
• Even dared competitors to lower prices during
the Soccer World Cup in 2010
Competitors
• Mango Airlines biggest competitor – Strap line
– Easy on the pocket, easy on you
• 1Time Airlines also competitor – Strap line –
More Nice Less Price
• To a lesser extent Virgin Atlantic Airlines –
Strap line– Your airline either has it or it
hasn’t.
• All airlines compete aggressively on price
• Kulula was first to cream the market –
however need to innovate
Kulula’s Business Strategy
• During August 2008 has broadened its brand
appeal by the following sub-brands
– Kulula air – domestic, regional (and soon to be
international) flight bookings, as well as add-ons like
cars, hotels etc.
– Kulula travel – all-inclusive package holidays and the
widest rage of hotels on offer in SA
– Kulula connect – refreshingly simple and cost-effective
internet and cell phone service packages
• Also offer loyalty club –
kulula moolah to put towards
free flights
What is recently in the press.......
• During February 2011, Kulula has started its fun
again
• Kulula will be delivering a herd of cows to
Buckingham Palace so Prince William can pay Lobolo.
Marketing Director – Nadine Damen has published
letter to Wills to state that British cows were selected
to avoid carbon emissions and also not to cause the
animals distress by travelling by air!
A potion of every Kulula flight
booked until the day before the
Royal Wedding will go towards
purchasing cows for Kate!
Looking at the Market and the
Marketing Mix – Back to Basics
• The Market –Target market is mainly domestic
travellers, wanting cheap, easy flights
• Products – Flights and travel products
• Price – Cheapest air fares
• Place – Preferably sold via the Internet
• Promotion – Using Ambush Marketing
Suggestions to enhance the Marketing
Strategy
•The Market is well defined
• Products - should start using a differentiation
strategy to keep the Product Life Cycle of Air
Tickets from declining – in mature state at the
moment – have diversified well into other
“travel” products, but needs to revive the
brand. Differentiate for instance on the way
luggage is booked in – making it easier – prebooking of luggage.
Suggestions to enhance the Marketing
Strategy (continued)
• Price – may include a strap line, such as – “how low can
you go” pricing – to entice more customers on pricethey do not have strap line at the moment – in line
with ambush marketing and humour
• Promotion – continue with ambush marketing.
Suggest they constantly enhance/update the jokes for
instance the humour using when boarding, as this is
getting “boring”
• Place – Advertise the benefits of using Internet more –
offer more discounts and incentives to book online
References
• Marketingweb –
www.marketingweb.co.za/marketingweb/view/m
arketingweb/en/page72308?oid+
Accessed 7 March 2011
• http://marketing.bizcommunity.com/article/146/
147/45942.html
Accessed 7 March 2011
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/12/4
7321.html
Accessed 7 March 2011
Chicken Run Group Members
• Deseré Botha - 22502556