United Airlines campaign to attract younger travelers

Maggie Schmerin
Head of Global Advertising
& Social Media
United Airlines, Chicago

Connect with Maggie
LinkedIn

Carl Mueller
Co-Head of Strategy
72andSunny
Los Angeles

Connect with Carl
LinkedIn / 72andSunny

It’s interesting to look at how various airlines emerged from the pandemic. Some used the opportunity to refresh their brands, seeing a chance to capture a disproportionate share of returning travelers. United Airlines focused on the company and its people, claiming they’re a Force for Good. Others took a more customer-centered approach (see British Airways or Southwest Airlines.)

United’s approach is, in essence, an environmental, social and governance (ESG) campaign. Now, in general, I’m skeptical of ESG in advertising, but what intrigued me was its primary target being younger travelers, those without established airline preferences. Might they in fact be less skeptical and more open to its message since they claim ESG factors influence their decisions? We don’t get a specific enough answer in this episode, but it was a reminder that as marketers, we have to put our opinions aside and consider possibilities that don’t align with our own lived experience.