Southwest Airways has recruited Denver sport mascots Dinger, Rocky and Bernie to assist with a brand new advertising marketing campaign that highlights what the provider touts as versatile insurance policies on baggage, change and cancellation charges and reward factors.
The Dallas-based airline kicked off a nationwide publicity push known as “The Large Flex” final week and unveiled advertisements and indicators Monday in Denver. The Denver-focused promoting options Dinger from the Colorado Rockies, Rocky from the Denver Nuggets and Bernie from the Colorado Avalanche.
In a bit of fine timing, Southwest’s native marketing campaign received underway because the Nuggets received the first-round sequence of the NBA playoffs and the Avalanche closed out the primary spherical within the NHL to advance within the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Video spots utilizing workforce mascots have been shot at Denver Worldwide Airport.
“They rejoice our sponsorship relationships with the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Rockies, using the mascots in humorous vogue,” mentioned Jonathan Clarkson, vp of promoting at Southwest.
Southwest’s Denver advertising marketing campaign heading into the summer season journey season features a video that follows a traveler working into Rocky, Bernie the St. Bernard and Dinger on his means by means of DIA to make a flight. Every mascot additionally stars in particular person spots.
The three hometown mascots’ roles within the “The Large Flex” marketing campaign concentrate on such Southwest insurance policies as every passenger attending to verify two luggage freed from cost.
Different advertisements promote that Southwest doesn’t cost charges for modifications or cancellations and the airline’s reward factors don’t expire. Within the case of cancellations, discover should be given not less than 10 minutes earlier than departure.
Clarkson mentioned Southwest is intent on rising its share of vacationers in Denver, dwelling to the airline’s largest variety of flights. The provider has 316 every day flights to just about 100 locations and has 40 gates on the airport.
“Denver is a big worker base for us. We’ve received almost 7,000 of our staff working there,” Clarkson mentioned.
Southwest just lately introduced a handful of cutbacks to flights out of Denver. Beginning in August, Southwest mentioned it’s ending flights to 4 airports and scaling again flights to Chicago O’Hare Worldwide Airport and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport. The airline mentioned the cuts are due partly to challenges brought on by the delay of Boeing plane and below-projected first-quarter earnings this 12 months.
Clarkson mentioned the brand new advertising marketing campaign “closely leans into” what makes Southwest Airways totally different. He mentioned analysis reveals that individuals need flexibility after they’re flying and turn out to be pissed off when issues aren’t versatile or really feel they’re being “nickel and dimed.”
Southwest is reiterating its insurance policies for present clients and concentrating on youthful vacationers — millennials and Era Z — who’re beginning to make up a much bigger portion of the flying public.
The airline’s share of the Denver market in 2024 is 32.3%, second to United Airways at 48.8%
Southwest is constructing a 100,000-square-foot provisioning and floor help gear upkeep constructing and 30,000-square-foot cargo facility in Denver. Each are anticipated to be open in 2025.