WestJet
Richard Bartrem
Director of Marketing & Communications
WestJet Outdoor Advertising – An Evolution
OMAC Canada
October 18, 2006
Fun Facts About WestJet
» Total # of Employees:
» Front-line Employees:
» Total Resumes received per week:
» ESP Participation:
» 2005 average salary contribution:
» Primary reason WestJetters join WestJet:
5,000+
4,300
1,000
87%
12%
– People & the Culture
» Guest Feedback is primarily about:
– Our people & the experience vs. functional attributes
Fun Facts About WestJet
» Total Sponsorship Requests:
» Total Donations Requests:
» Coldest day for TAC agents:
» Fastest aircraft turn time (112 guests)
» Average weight of bags carried / day
» Number of marriage proposals on-board:
100 / week
60 / week
-54 degrees
6 minutes
434,800 lbs
432
WestJet Snapshot
» 10th year anniversary February 2006
» Over 300 flights departing everyday
» Almost ¼ million passengers every week
» 1996 revenues of $37 million
– 2005 revenues of $1.395 billion
» 62 aircraft flying to 32 destinations not including charters
» North America’s newest fleet of aircraft
– Average age 2.3 years
The Challenge in Advertising WestJet
» A careful blend of brand and retail advertising is required in the
airline industry
– WestJet needs increased awareness in the East but needs to sell seats at the
same time
» Every time the aircraft door closes inventory expires and can not be
resold
– This happens 300 times a day
– Revenue, load factor and yield to budget is tracked every 8 minutes
» The pricing changes several times a day, seven days a week
» All within the context of an industry with a 97% failure rate
– The only airline in Canada not to have been in receivership or bankrupt
» Target is 25-54
– Over 65% of bookings – business and leisure – are made by women
Advertising WestJet
» WestJet is consistent with low-cost carriers around the world
– Marketing spend ~2% of revenue
» Mix of brand and retail messaging
– Retail messaging is the bread and butter that puts “bums in seats”
» Always looking to determine how traditional brand media can be
made more “retail”
–
–
–
–
Internet
TV
Radio
Outdoor
» Can these mediums that are typically brand or longer lead be
adapted to our short-term retail needs?
Owners Brand Campaign
Objective
Fall
Brand Campaign: Overview
» Owners Campaign launched September 2005
– One of 2 creative directions that were available as a brand
» Second wave ran in Spring 2006
» Fall 2006 campaign started September 12 for 8 weeks
– Key objective was greater integration of messages across media
• Clearer connection of Owners messaging to all aspects of the campaign
• Stronger retail integration to Owners
– TV, radio, outdoor, ENN, cinema
» Introduction of “Because Owners Care” as campaign tagline
» Currently over 470 OOH boards up across the country
Outdoor Works for WestJet
» On a per dollar basis there is no better media for looking big
– Helps give campaigns a “bigger feel” through increased reach
» With outdoor, the consumer perception of the size of campaign is
greater than the spend
» Works particularly well in the East where our awareness is lower
– Legitimacy to the airline
» In smaller towns, outdoor helps us feel connected at the local level
Outdoor Works for WestJet
» Outdoor has been an important component of the Owners campaign
since launch
» Message integration has been the key deliverable for this fall
» Market Specific Outdoor
– Increase in production costs
– Are there new cost saving measures available to continue doing this?
» On the hunt for variable or flexible messaging opportunities
– Digital video boards, ENN
» Outdoor has been more tightly integrated with retail message in
other media
WestJet Outdoor
Fall Campaign Examples
Future of Outdoor for WestJet
Future of Outdoor for WestJet
» Our media strategy is working
– Load factors are increasing as we increase capacity
» Outdoor advertising has helped contribute against our stated
campaign objectives
» Delivers the required reach and frequency
– Key for WestJet is integration of retail messaging
– Pricing can change hourly
» Any opportunity that allows us to combine the reach and frequency
in outdoor together with a retail call to action will help us win the
day
Our Outdoor Wish List
» Even better integration opportunities
» Mix of brand and retail works well for our industry
» As a low cost operator, any opportunity to save on production costs
as we customize messages is beneficial
Book Now!
1-888-WestJet
westjet.com