Preventing an Identity Crisis

Southwest Airlines (SWA) has experienced incredible growth and success as a low-cost air carrier since it began operations as a company in 1971.  But times have changed, and their creative marketing strategy hasn't.  The look and feel of SWA has remained fairly constant while the competitive market for low-cost carriers, despite ever-rising fuel costs, has boomed.

In 2010, SWA made a move to expand its service to the international market as well as increase its presence in key east coast U.S. cities.  Upon its full acquisition of AirTran Holdings in May of 2011, Southwest is dipping its toe into international waters by absorbing routes to Mexico served by AirTran.  The AirTran brand is expected to be fully integrated into LUV sometime in 2013, which means that plans for rebranding should be solidly in place soon (very soon).

SWA circulated an RFP early in 2012 to selected creative agencies asking for help to design a new creative campaign for reveal this Fall (2012) and thereby prevent an identity crisis.  Omnicom Group's TBWA\Chiat\Day, located in Playa del Rey, California, emerged as the winner and joins SWA's creative strategy team albeit with a very tight deadline to launch a Fall campaign that is both fresh and able to differentiate the low-cost leader from its many copycats.

Will LUV prevail?

AP

Sources:
1) http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/southwest-mulls-new-strategy-creative-search-138967
2) http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-05-02/business/os-southwest-airtran-reuters-update2-20110502_1_southwest-executive-vice-president-southwest-brand-airtran-holdings
3) http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/southwest-airlines-finally-selects-shop-141602