An ad campaign for Scandinavian Airlines System has taken flight in the Washington area.
SAS, which flies out of Washington Dulles International Airport, is getting the word out about its newest class of seating. “Economy Extra” is a step above economy class, offering 30 percent more space for passengers. The seats are more expensive than those in economy but cheaper than those in business class.
“We position it as an option for those people traveling who are looking for something extra or required by their company to travel in economy,” said Madeleine Mansson, marketing and communications manager for SAS.
The campaign, created by Needleman Drossman & Partners in New York, started running this month in newspapers and on radio stations in the area. One print ad intentionally crams copy into the ad space, saying: “If this ad were 30 percent bigger, it would be a lot more comfortable.”
SAS flies out of three other U.S. markets: Seattle, Chicago and Newark, N.J. However, Washington was the best market for the ad campaign, owing to high volumes of government and business travel to Europe out of Dulles, ad executives said.
“Hopefully, while the campaign sells a lot of tickets, it will also be an important step in helping SAS’ voice resonate,” said Neil Drossman, chairman and co-creative director of the ad agency.
The campaign will run for 10 weeks. Its success will determine whether it will run in other U.S. markets.
Personal banking
Provident Bank is showcasing its highly personalized banking style in new television ads.
The campaign, created by Baltimore’s Trahan, Burden & Charles, broke earlier this month. The two spots, titled “Bill’s Bank” and “Jane’s Bank,” feature a banking experience so personalized that even the bank sign reads “Bill’s Bank” or “Jane’s Bank.” The ads show one-on-one experiences between the employees and Bill and Jane. The final shot shows the bank sign changing to read “Provident Bank.”
“Everyone wants fabulous customer service,” said Vicki Cox, public and community relations manager for Provident. “If you go to a place where you’re not treated right, you are not going to be back.”
The ads are running on local television in the Baltimore and Washington area and on cable networks such as Bravo, CNN, the History Channel and TLC.
The campaign, which also includes radio and newspaper ads, will run throughout the year with a concentration in the spring and fall.
And the timing is just right.
“From the consumer perspective, lots of people move during the early spring and are looking for a new bank,” Ms. Cox said.
“Additionally, people come out of hibernation and they make plans for travel, renovations, college tuition payment and weddings and are naturally looking for a banking partner.”
Provident Bank has 118 branches in Maryland, Northern Virginia and York County, Pa. The Baltimore-based company will merge next month with Southern Financial Bancorp, based in Warrenton, Va., adding nearly 30 branches and extending Provident’s presence to Richmond.
• Donna De Marco can be reached at 202/636-4884. Advertising & Marketing runs every other Monday.
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