16.13 New Advertising Pitch Scenario

Let’s say that you are working on a new business pitch for a possible advertising client. A new business pitch is the presentation and supporting documentation that an agency prepares to show to a prospective client in an effort to win that advertiser’s business.

The company whose advertising account you would like to win is United Airlines. The airline currently works with McGarryBowen advertising agency but since the merger with Continental Airlines, the company is considering other options for their advertising business.

The agency for which you work has not had a commercial airline account in the past so the first task in your preparation of the new business pitch is to get up to speed quickly on the passenger airline industry.

Questions to pose:

• What is the overall economic health of the passenger/commercial airline industry?

• Who are the main players — the airline companies, the aircraft manufacturers, the regulators, the workers’ unions, the customers, the other stakeholders? What perspective or position does each player take on the industry?

• What does airline advertising look like? Who is advertising, where do the ads appear, what do the ads say, how effective are the ads?

• What restrictions and regulations, if any, govern advertising for this industry?

• Who comprises the largest and most lucrative group of airline travelers? In other words, who are airlines trying to reach with their ads?