Boeing's Airline Marketing Services hosts Ethiopian Airlines reps for 2-day intensive marketing academy
The aviation industry is an extremely competitive environment, and airlines should use every opportunity to ensure their brand is not only recognized, but also appreciated throughout the customer experience. That was one of the messages Jeff Cacy, director, Airline Marketing Services (AMS), Commercial Airplanes, delivered during an intensive, two-day marketing course for Ethiopian Airlines.
Cacy and Patricia Roberts, AMS regional director for Africa, traveled to Ethiopian Airlines' headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recently to host Boeing's marketing academy with leaders from Ethiopia's flag carrier.
The Boeing Marketing Academy was designed to help airlines better utilize branding as a means to create passenger preference -- both for the airline and the Boeing product.
Photo Caption: Boeing's Airline Marketing Services hosted several members from Ethiopian Airlines for a two-day marketing academy designed to help airlines better utilize branding to create passenger preference for the airline and the Boeing product. The conference was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pictured, from left: Patricia Roberts, Boeing AMS; Jeff Cacy, Boeing AMS; and Yeneneh Tekleyes, vice president of Marketing for Ethiopian Airlines, shown presenting a gift of appreciation. (Asmelash Berhane photo)
"This marketing academy was a great experience for our airline," said Yeneneh Tekleyes, vice president of Marketing for Ethiopian Airlines. "There is so much involved in running an airline and everyone is so busy working to ensure the airline is running the way it should, we sometimes lose sight of some of the other important aspects of the business -- like continuing to build and enhance our brand through the eyes of our customers."
The Boeing academy works with airlines on strategic co-marketing initiatives, often funded through promotional dollars associated with an aircraft purchase, to help increase revenues, market share, and customer preference. Through revenue enhancement strategies developed together, the airline and Boeing are able to build brand preference with frequent travelers and the travel trade, which in turn enhances market competitiveness.
"This course was a great reminder that we cannot forget about all the opportunities to highlight all the great things Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing have done to make the travel experience enjoyable," said Tekleyes. "Every customer interaction is yet another opportunity for us to influence how the customer feels about our company and our products. That is a very important part of running the business and an important aspect of retaining our top customers."
Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines operates an all-Boeing fleet, including the 737, 757, 767, 777-200LR, MD11 freighter, and two 747 cargo airplanes. The carrier is using its new 777-200LRs on nonstop service from Washington, D.C., to Addis Ababa and new long-haul, nonstop routes such as Beijing. Ethiopian Airlines was the first in Africa to order the all-new 787 Dreamliner, with an order for 10.
