Horizon Air Aims To Turn Drivers To Fliers

by Amy Corr, Oct 8, 2007, 4:15 PM

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Frequent travelers between Seattle and Portland are all too familiar with the long 200-mile drive on Interstate 5. It's dubbed "The Slog"  -- and now Horizon Air is hoping to turn stressed-out drivers on this road into relaxed fliers.

The airline recently upgraded its airplane fleet, dropped ticket prices and added amenities at the Portland International Airport gate facility, such as stand-up desks with outlets for laptop connections, free Wi-Fi, increased seating, video monitors for news and sports information and complimentary Starbucks.

The print, online, radio and mobile campaign, with media and creative by WONGDOODY, narrates the many reasons why business travelers don't want to drive "The Slog." The Horizon Shuttle boasts flights every half-hour between the two cities.

The key component of the campaign is a Web site with a rustic and historic flavor. I was expecting Davy Crockett to make an appearance online. The site marks the three-hour drive via famous unofficial landmarks such as "Molasses Pass, " "Filthy John's Holler," "Feral Hoopsters" and "Bridge of Heavy Sighs."

The description of "Molasses Pass" might be my favorite. "For years, astronauts looking back at the earth reported seeing a giant, glowing red snake in this area," says the voiceover. This, of course, was due to the constant brake lights from miles of cars stuck in traffic.

"The fact that astronauts believed a 12-mile red snake was living in Olympia is more than a little disturbing. I mean, I thought astronauts were supposed to be really smart," concludes the voiceover.

The print ad mirrors the Web site, showing the infamous route and descriptions of each landmark. "Ticketown" needs no explanation, but is humorously described as the hotbed for receiving speeding tickets.

Also, a truck equipped with three roll-up billboards will patrol rest stops along the highway and brand ambassadors will hand out Horizon Air brochures. The billboards resemble a natural history museum exhibit, although this man from the past can be seen carrying a gasoline can through trash and roadkill found along the Slog.WONGDOODY partnered with GoMobile Advertising for this element of the campaign.

Unlike other airline marketing ads, which often try to attract passengers from other carriers, this campaign aims to convert drivers to fliers.

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