Case Study for Agency
03-1014967-225

When Southwest Airlines became a client in 1981, three years after the
deregulation of the airline industry, Southwest was a fledgling airline
competing in an arena with what appeared to be impenetrable giants.
Southwest was – and still is – an unusual breed with high-spirited
leadership which recognizes that one of its most important competitive
advantages is its team oriented and unique corporate culture. We
captured that uniqueness as the foundation for Southwest’s initial
brand positioning, “Love that spirit!” By managing the Southwest
Airlines brand, the agency monitored and evolved that positioning,
based on the airline’s changing objectives and competitive milieu.
Southwest’s current brand positioning, “A Symbol of Freedom,”
recognizes that Southwest is not in the airline business, but it its in
the freedom business – allowing people to go, see and do things they
never thought possible.

Additionally, we made many other brand-building contributions. For
example, since a brand is essentially a “relationship” between a
company or organization and its constituencies (including customers),
the agency developed an innovative customer retention program.
Specifically, when frequent flyer programs were in their infancy, we
created the Rapid Rewards program for Southwest that awarded bonus
trips based on the number of trips flown, rather than the number of
miles. This proved to be extremely popular and is an important element
in contributing to loyalty to the airline.

Today, Southwest Airlines is the fourth-largest air carrier in the
United States, with 27 years of profitability. Its advertising recall
is the highest in the airline category, and according to a 1999
national tracking study, it has the highest level of positive attitudes
among all airlines (Source: Southwest Airlines Brand Tracker, 1-99.
Fortune magazine’s national survey of “America’s Most Admired
Companies” (February 21, 2000) ranked Southwest Airlines 6 overall and
1 in the airline category. Southwest’s Web site, which we have been
responsible for the branding of, is the 4 highest grossing e-commerce
site, behind America Online (AOL), Charles Schwab and Amazon.com.

The Southwest Airlines account involves developing advertising for
local, regional and national media, as well as the meticulous
integration of many communication elements (advertising, public
relations, direct mail, interactive, packaging vacations, Hispanic
marketing and airport signage), requiring the agency to manage and
coordinate with a number of subcontractors, minority subcontractors and
in-house advertising personnel at Southwest Airlines.