MEDIA RELEASE
A branding tale of two London airports
Episode 1: Gatwick's repositioning strategy against Heathrow stalls on the taxiway
Gatwick, London's second largest airport after market leader Heathrow, has launched an audacious campaign to re-position its bigger rival by re-branding itself as 'Your London Airport'. A move, according to its new owners - Global Infrastructure Partners - that's designed to give Gatwick a friendlier image.
But according to award-winning destination brand developer, Alan 'Brand' Williamson, "Gatwick's attempt to re-position Heathrow has stalled on the taxiway because the phrase 'London Airport' is 'owned' by Heathrow, indeed at one time the airport's official brand name was actually 'London Airport'. So everytime Gatwick uses 'Your London Airport' in its marketing material, it inadvertently promotes its larger competitor".
So what should Gatwick do? Should it continue with its flawed campaign much to the delight of Heathrow, or should it ground the whole thing and start all over again?
"Gatwick should cut its losses" advises Alan 'Brand' Williamson, "and start afresh but this time focused on trying to find the weakness in Heathrow's primary strength - its Achilles Heel".
For the inside brand strategy story please view this blog posting: A Branding Tale of Two London Airports.
ENDS
Contact:
Alan 'Brand' Williamson, Destination Brand Developer. 07949 969891
Notes:
1. Alan 'Brand' Williamson, is an award-winning Destination Brand Developer - from restaurants to resorts to regions - with a few towns, cities and countries thrown in. He can usually be found lurking in cultural conflicts, collisions and contradictions - the mother-lode of many big brand ideas and concepts.
2. Brandopia: The Branding Destination for Place Pioneers, is the world's first weblog dedicated exclusively to destination branding issues.
3. For images illustrating the above story please click here.
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