Epitome of the modern woman keeps Singapore Airlines A380 starring role
A report in the Sydney Morning Herald says that Singapore Girl is alive and well and will play a starring role in the marketing of the national carrier’s new drawcard, the Airbus A380.
Contrary to reports she was to be dropped from the ads following a change in ad agency, Singapore Airlines has confirmed that she remains a big part of its marketing, with Dale Woodhouse, Singapore Airlines’ manager of passenger marketing, saying that she would still be “front and centre of the campaign”, which began last week in the lead-up to the inaugural flight on October 26.
“As usual she will be a central part of the branding and the image of Singapore Airlines,” Mr Woodhouse confirmed after reports earlier this year had her permanently grounded for being too old fashioned and sexist.
When asked if she had been updated, Mr Woodhouse replied: “What’s there to update?” “She’s eternal, she’s the epitome of the modern image [of a woman] and the traditional style of Singapore Airlines.” “Why would you want to get rid of that?”
Singapore Airlines is the first to receive the new jumbo airliner, which will feature an as yet unveiled supersuite class and, at 471 seats, a lower ratio per aircraft than its competitors.
The October 26 trip marks the aircraft’s worldwide debut, but Emirates and Qantas will not receive their aircraft until August and September next year respectively.
Woodhouse says the real marketing push will come in late December or January when it begins flying Sydney to London via Singapore, the first carrier to fly the so-called kangaroo route with the new aircraft. “That’s going to be a real advantage for us and we plan to make a song and dance about it.”
Singapore Airlines spends $6 million a year on marketing in Australia, most of which goes in main media advertising, and the Airbus activity is expected to exceed that.
The print and online component, which Fairfax Media (publisher of the Herald) won in a head to head with News Ltd, is worth $1 million alone.
The A380’s launch is the first major assignment for the TBWA group, which won the $75 million global account in April off the incumbent of 34 years, the Batey Group, a move that sparked speculation around Singapore Girl’s future.
In the lead-up to the launch the airline has been auctioning seats on the inaugural flight for charity.
It is also running a competition in schools close to Sydney Airport to find the best collage of the airline’s innovations. The winning school will receive a $10,000 prize.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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