Can the low flypast raise the brand bar for the airline involved?

The low flypast by two passenger jets over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium ahead of a rugby test match last weekend has attracted worldwide attention, with some people praising the stunt and others voicing concerns about safety. 

While that positive-versus-negative debate continues, is there a marketing benefit for Airlink, the domestic airline involved?  

Jeremy Sampson, Chairman of brand valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance Africa, says that whatever the outcome of a safety review by aviation authorities, Airlink has already secured a level of attention that no conventional marketing campaign could easily replicate. 

“The more interesting question is whether that attention converts into something that shows up as a boarding pass,” he comments, adding: “while a spectacular event that generates international attention is valuable, attention is only the first stage of the commercial journey.” 

According to Sampson, Airlink’s word-of-mouth advocacy score currently trails that of domestic rivals South African Airways and FlySafair, creating opportunity for a viral moment such as this to lift advocacy in the near term, even amid the controversy. 

The opportunity is to convert curiosity into trial 

“Airlink has created a rare window in which awareness, conversation and curiosity are all working in its favour. The opportunity now is to convert that curiosity into trial, and subsequently, trial into repeat usage,” says Sampson. 

“The Brand Finance data suggests that the levers that move South African travellers from consideration to actually booking are likely to extend beyond brand storytelling. Accessible pricing, visible availability and a frictionless path to purchase are key levers that matter. 

“The flyover may therefore prove to be more than a spectacular piece of brand theatre. It has created attention. The commercial challenge is what Airlink does with it. 

“Airlink has won the attention battle. Whether it can turn a viral flyover into a full flight is the question.”