How JetBlue Soared Above the Rest with Its Marketing Strategies

JetBlue is one of the leading airlines in the US, serving over 100 destinations across North, South, and Central America. JetBlue prides itself on being a fun, low-cost airline with high-quality customer service and popular amenities not found on other airlines. But how did JetBlue achieve such a success in a competitive and challenging industry? What are the marketing strategies that JetBlue used to differentiate itself from its rivals and attract loyal customers? In this article, we will explore the four pillars of JetBlue's marketing strategy: flight etiquette, humanity in service, diversity, and brand campaigns.

How JetBlue Soared Above the Rest with Its Marketing Strategies
How JetBlue Soared Above the Rest with Its Marketing Strategies

Flight Etiquette

One of the key aspects of JetBlue's marketing strategy is to promote flight etiquette, or the proper behavior of passengers and crew members during flights. JetBlue believes that flight etiquette can enhance the travel experience for everyone and create a positive brand image. To communicate this message, JetBlue launched a series of humorous YouTube videos that showcased various scenarios of flight etiquette violations, such as seat reclining, overhead bin usage, armrest sharing, and snoring. These videos resonated with people across the country, went viral, and attracted widespread media attention¹. JetBlue also created a website called FlyerEtiquette.com², where visitors can watch the videos, take quizzes, share their opinions, and learn more about flight etiquette. By using humor and social media, JetBlue was able to raise awareness and spark conversations about an important topic that affects many travelers.

Humanity in Service

Another pillar of JetBlue's marketing strategy is to demonstrate humanity in service, or the genuine care and empathy that JetBlue employees show to their customers. JetBlue believes that humanity in service can create a lasting impression and build customer loyalty. To showcase this value, JetBlue launched a campaign called "You Above All"³, which highlighted the various ways that JetBlue puts its customers first, such as offering free snacks and drinks, free Wi-Fi and entertainment, spacious legroom, and friendly staff. The campaign also featured real stories of customers who experienced humanity in service from JetBlue employees, such as a mother who received a handwritten note from a flight attendant after her son vomited on the plane, or a couple who received a surprise wedding proposal on board. These stories were shared on social media and generated positive feedback from customers and potential customers.

Diversity

A third pillar of JetBlue's marketing strategy is to celebrate diversity, or the different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives of its customers and employees. JetBlue believes that diversity can enrich the travel experience and foster inclusion and respect. To express this value, JetBlue launched a campaign called "All You Can Jet"⁴, which offered unlimited flights for a month to customers who bought a special pass. The campaign encouraged customers to explore new destinations, meet new people, and share their stories on social media using the hashtag #AYCJ. The campaign also featured a video series called "Jetting Across America"⁵, which followed four travelers as they visited different cities and experienced different cultures. The campaign was a huge success, as it sold out within minutes and generated millions of impressions and engagements on social media.

Brand Campaigns

The fourth pillar of JetBlue's marketing strategy is to create brand campaigns that reinforce its core values and personality. JetBlue believes that brand campaigns can differentiate itself from its competitors and create an emotional connection with its customers. To achieve this goal, JetBlue launched several innovative and memorable brand campaigns over the years, such as:

  • "Reach Across the Aisle", which challenged passengers on a flight to agree on a common destination for a free round-trip ticket.
  • "FlyBabies", which rewarded passengers with discounts every time a baby cried on a flight.
  • "Pie in the Sky", which delivered authentic New York pizza to Los Angeles residents who ordered online.
  • "Little Tickets", which offered discounted fares to kids who paid with their piggy banks at pop-up kiosks.
  • "Air on the Side of Humanity", which featured pigeons as frequent flyers who envied human travelers.

These brand campaigns generated buzz and publicity for JetBlue, as well as positive reactions from customers and potential customers.

Conclusion

JetBlue is a successful airline that has used effective marketing strategies to stand out from its competitors and win over its customers. By focusing on flight etiquette, humanity in service, diversity, and brand campaigns, JetBlue has created a strong brand identity that reflects its values and personality. JetBlue has also leveraged humor and social media to engage and entertain its audience and create a loyal fan base. JetBlue is an example of how a company can use marketing to soar above the rest.