I was flying back to the Bay Area from New York last week. When the complimentary beverages came, I put down my tray and gasped.
Airplane-tray ads! Love at first sight.
Broadly speaking, people sitting on a plane engage in five groups of activities:
- Sleep
- Read (book/laptop)
- Eat/drink
- Listen to music/watch movie
- Stare into space
Since FAA regulations and airline policies put a damper* on most activities, amount of time spent by passengers on staring into space is surprisingly high. What a good place to put an ad!
The "clusters" looked appetizing; the copy was convincing. But, the call for action was a bit, shall I say, impractical?
"Be The First To Try It! When you land, text CLUSTERS to 467467 to receive your FREE sample of Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters."
Did someone forget that tray-up-and-seat-upright drill passengers have to perform as the plane is landing? I had every intention of texting for my free sample upon landing, but when I was finally allowed to turn on my cell phone, I have completely forgotten about the offer.
Maybe that was the point--use the word FREE to grab attention on the plane, forget the sampling, and then wait for people to show up in the supermarket aisle.
Regardless, I quite like the idea of ShopText. Want to respond to an ad right away? Just send a text to the number given.
With ShopText, consumers can buy or request samples easily, with just a few taps on the cell phone. In turn, companies can better track which ads are working, real time.
It is a clever idea, though perhaps not in an airplane setting.
*Do I really have to turn off my MP3 player when the plane is taking off?
Hi Helen! I'm happy you're writing a new blog, will follow it for sure.
ReplyDeleteAbout turning off your MP3, I don't know if it really makes a difference to flight safety, but it does for me and other people who are afraid of flying (you know, just in case, better be safe!).
Every time I see someone is not turning off their electronics during take off and landing I feel even more nervous!
;-)