'Moment marketing' with meaning

Social media posts loaded with cheeky messages and clever hashtags achieve really nothing

I was in Kolkata last week. A young scion of the client’s family, who had been entrusted with the task of handling the company’s social media, kept insisting that we work together on a “moment marketing” strategy. I tried explaining to him that moment marketing through social media posts loaded with cheeky messages and clever hashtags would achieve really nothing. If “moment marketing” really needed to make a brand impact and get noticed, then we needed to emulate some of what American airline JetBlue has done in the past: For the US Elections and Mother’s Day.

It was 2016. One hundred and fifty passengers on a JetBlue flight were subjected to the ultimate experiment in compromise. A guy from the airline suddenly showed up mid-flight to tell them that if they could all decide on a single destination to fly to, they would all get a free round-trip ticket to that destination.
 

JetBlue called the project “Reach Across the Aisle” — an attempt to see if, during an election year in the United States, people could really work together if they wanted to, and work towards an election result that could be reached by commonality and consensus. Things started off a little tentative and somewhat uncertain. They couldn’t even decide if they all wanted to go domestic or go international. But then some rows started working together to come up with destinations to propose to the group. There was quite a bit of give-and-take; some sharing of experiences; some over-ruling of objections and also some allaying of fears. Passengers actually did reach across the aisle — to agree and to disagree, persuade and to get persuaded.

Within about an hour of flying time, the vote was finally taken. What do you think happened? Well, 150 passengers who were perfect strangers, had never met before, and did not know each other at all managed through dialogue, discussion and even disagreement, by just “reaching across the aisle” to agree on a common destination: Costa Rica!

There is an even more famous JetBlue initiative that was done for Mother’s Day. Again in 2016. Because babies cry, and because parents flying with a baby could use just a bit more empathy, JetBlue decided to try and flip passengers’ attitude on Mother’s Day. JetBlue came up with a plan to alleviate the fears of some mothers who didn’t want to be “that lady with the baby who’s been screaming for four hours”. A difficult attempt at maximising a “moment marketing” aperture, few brands would even want to attempt. 

Here goes the story. The airline offered a special “FlyBabies” promotion on April 15 on a flight from New York City’s JFK airport to Long Beach, California. Passengers were made aware of the “stunt” after the first food and beverage service. The flight attendant made a surprise announcement. “We all know when we’re flying with babies and they cry on the plane, it can be hard on all of us,” the cabin crewmember said. “This will be the very first flight ever where crying babies is a good thing. Every time a baby on this plane cries, you will receive 25 per cent off your next JetBlue flight.” That meant four babies crying would be equal to a free round-trip ticket. The announcement was welcomed with much mirth and amusement, and some disbelief too.

There were a total of five babies on the flight. Max, Donovan, Lila, Beck and Resse. All it would take were four cries (fussing and whining didn’t count) for the 140 passengers to be rewarded with a free roundtrip ticket on JetBlue. With a flight time of around seven hours, there was a good chance the pint-sized travellers were going to get fussy. Or so everyone on board fervently hoped.
 

More than an hour into the flight, none of the tiny passengers had surprisingly cried. Each one of them continued to be on best behaviour well past the half-way mark — three and a half hours gone, no wailing! The passengers started to get somewhat restive. Then Lila woke up from her slumber and started to sniffle. And then all of a sudden she let out a loud wail and started to cry. A cumulative hurrah went up on the entire flight. Every passenger had earned 25 per cent off!
 

Donovan followed about 30 minutes later, and the teary performance received a hearty ovation; 50 per cent off! Then there was peace and quiet for the next 90 minutes. Some passengers indulged in silent prayer. Then Resse cried, loud and shrill— 75 per cent off! Loud clapping. Just before descent started, Max maxed the JetBlue offer: His full-throated cry and free flowing tears got everyone a free ticket. God bless Max! Each of the 140 passengers was ecstatic.

I don’t know if my Kolkata client will take a page or two out of JetBlue’s innovative marketing but for all digital strategists my simple advice is: Magnify the Moment, not just Market it.

The writer is managing director of Rediffusion