Monday, January 22, 2007

Wonder if BA is giving these out to cabin crew?

British Airways may be facing a major headache in the next few weeks, with the threat of a strike by cabin crew, but the wheels of its BA.com marketing vehicle are still turning – and steering in the direction of women.

London’s Liverpool Street station was the scene last Friday morning of a melee of sorts when Google Earth-emblazoned carrier bags were being handed out to long-suffering commuters.

Despite deliberately manoeuvring close to a few of the people handing out the bags, my friend and I failed to become the new lucky owners a BA.com bag.

Feeling mildly snubbed despite showing lots of enthusiasm, I asked one of the drama school students-for-hire: “May I have one of your highly sought-after bags, please?”

“Erm, sorry, they are for women only,” came the reply. As my pal looked on, I explained my position and obvious eagerness to learn more about what was fast becoming the Arc of the Covenant of street marketing.

“It’s just a bag of goodies to persuade women to visit BA.com,” I was told, before being offered a quick peak inside one of the now hallowed bags, containing a copy of woman’s magazine Grazia and a handful of beauty products.

Within seconds a female city worker was being thrust what we hoped would be our own bag and our chance had gone…

These viral marketers are certainly very strict.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I got one!

Travolution Blogger said...

The question is...if the campaign works and BA does drive more traffic to its own website, and thus reduces its distribution costs, will the savings be reflected in the onboard amenity kits? Or, will we still face the same, so-called designer, thumbnail sized lip balm, which is really just fancy chapstick? Is BA getting all female passengers' hopes up that, after making thier reservation on ba.com, a copy of Grazia and a jug of Clarins anti-wrinkle, jet-lag combating, collagen-enhancing, youth-regenerating cream will be waiting for them upon departure? If so, that's just plain cruel.
THD