JetBlue's New Ad Campaign Has A Familiar Message

NEW YORK (AP) -- JetBlue will start a new advertising campaign with a familiar brand message: Ours is better than theirs.
The campaign, which debuts Friday, features the slogan "You Above All" in print and video ads.

The online portion features a humorous series of videos that point out the shortcomings of other airlines. They show people in situations on the ground that mirror things they deal with when flying -- like being charged a luggage fee for placing a bag in the trunk of a taxi.

JetBlue doesn't charge for a first checked bag, as many airlines do.

The print ads also feature some lines that taut the JetBlue experience like "Our standards beat their extras," "Overpack. Underpay. First bag flies for free" and "Someone has to stand up for tall people. The most legroom in coach."

JetBlue has long tried to capitalize on customers growing frustration with higher airfares, fees and lack of amenities.

The airline's most recent marketing campaign brought advertisements for fake products passengers could use when they couldn't fly JetBlue, like pillows that lament "I don't want to be here either" and a "knee jockey" that holds legs up in cannonball position for flights without extra legroom.

In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this year, Barger called that and similar campaigns examples of JetBlue's "irreverence."

"No wonder customers don't like the airline industry -- you nickel-and-dime me, I'm in lines, I get on the airplane and I can't cross my legs, you just broke my computer because the seat in front of me reclined and broke it. And I can't even bring on a bottle of water," Barger said. "There's gotta be a better way."

JetBlue Airways Corp. is based in the New York City borough of Queens.

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