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The summer travel frenzy continues: Delta posted record growth during Q2.
Last quarter, the airline experienced 19% revenue growth year over year, earning a record $14.6 billion. Its net income rose to nearly $1.83 billion, more than doubling the $735 million it made during the same period last year.
Its growth follows similarly strong Q1 earnings, during which the airline reported experiencing high demand for summer travel and predicted revenue would increase 15% to 20% year over year. “Consumer demand for air travel remains robust,” CEO Ed Bastian said in a press release.
The airline made some marketing leadership changes during the quarter: In April, it announced a new CMO, Alicia Tillman, who previously helmed marketing efforts at software company SAP and financial tech firm Capitolis.
Last month, Delta SVP and chief communications officer Tim Mapes, who previously served as CMO, spoke with CNBC at Cannes Lions about the company’s marketing efforts. He said the airline’s spend is “incredibly robust” right now.
When asked which types of new advertising channels and formats are most appealing to Delta, he mentioned short-form videos. “They’re consumable, they’re mobile, they’re easy,” Mapes said, though he noted that the “bulk” of much of the airline’s marketing right now involves communicating with its customers directly via channels like email or text messaging.
The airline has also invested in some major campaigns this year. Its agency of record, Wieden+Kennedy, debuted a campaign in February called “Grow Your World,” the airline’s first paid media campaign focused on SkyMiles. It included a 30-second spot narrated by Viola Davis and featuring a couple accumulating SkyMiles points to travel the world. It also inked a partnership with Starbucks last fall that lets customers earn SkyMiles points through purchases at the coffee chain.
Outside of its SkyMiles marketing, Delta has released ad campaigns that more broadly encourage viewers to travel. It rolled out an ad in March called “Kaleidoscope,” also narrated by Davis, that shows colorful scenes in different global destinations. Other marketing efforts included a June partnership with NBCU and the Olympics to fly in Team USA contestants to compete in Top Chef. Delta will also be Team USA’s official airline for the upcoming Olympic games in Paris, Milan, and Los Angeles.
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