New Ad Campaign Invites Fliers to Join the Movement to Fight Mediocrity in Air Travel

San Francisco – March 10, 2009 – Virgin America, the new award-winning airline, today announced the launch of a national multi-media “Flydealism” ad campaign based on the real movement surrounding the airline’s fiercely loyal and growing frequent flier base.  The Flydealism campaign issues a rallying cry for travelers to join the movement to reinvent the domestic airline experience and ban mediocrity from the skies.  The campaign was created by Virgin America’s advertising agency-of-record, the San Francisco-based Eleven Inc.

Launched in August 2007, Virgin America has won a list of travel industry awards including “Best Domestic Airline” in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards. 

“Since our launch in August 2007, Virgin America has been committed to raising the bar on behalf of travelers and fighting mediocrity within the U.S. airline category, by offering award-winning service and low fares,” said Porter Gale, Vice President of Marketing at Virgin America.  We believe travelers deserve a better deal, and our mission is to reinvent air travel with next generation entertainment, beautiful design and outstanding service – all offered as part of our standard service model.”

The Flydealism campaign has a rolling launch, starting with print ads and Web banners, followed in mid-March by bus shelters, out of home (OOH) and wild postings. In late April, the campaign will include image-driven print and OOH.  The campaign is multilayered, with brand-oriented outdoor and direct online.  The iconic Virgin America flag is a central element in the work, used both as a visual rallying cry and a creative signal to communicate special offers and deals to guests.  The flag will be used in creative elements and in station marketing efforts.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the grassroots support for our airline – received in-flight via Red™, through e-mail and our social media sites, and in person at airports.  Everyday, we have fliers posting fan photos and videos filmed on our planes,” added Gale.  “This is a real and fiercely loyal movement, with 88 percent of our fliers confirming that they would highly recommend us to a friend.  This campaign puts a stake in the ground – it’s a thank you to our fans and a commitment that we’ll continue to fight for a better experience in the industry.”

The second phase of the campaign features image-heavy creative portraying the bold heroes and heroines of air travel as they lead travelers to bluer skies. They stand proudly, waving the Virgin America flag in the face of the status quo.  Shot in a bold iconic style, the ads will appear in alternative weeklies, OOH, and bus shelters with campaign photography that mirrors the attention to design detail Virgin America brings to its planes and airport spaces.

Creative titles tell much of the story: “For the People”, “The Hero of Air Travel”, “The Heroine of Air Travel” and “We Mean Business.”  Continuing the tongue-in-cheek humor of last year’s “Hairdryer” creative execution, the “For the People” execution features a swarm of potential guests following a heroic, wildly attractive flag carrier.

“In just over a year, Virgin America has redefined the entire flying experience.  They’ve revolutionized the category," said Courtney Buechert, President of Eleven Inc.  “This campaign takes that spirit, commitment and passion and turns it into a fun cause that we all can get behind.  The work has a style and wit expected from the Virgin America brand, yet still reveals core truths about what everyone who flies should not only expect, but also deserve.”

Virgin America offers low fare flights that appeal to today’s tech-savvy business and leisure travelers.  The airline offers power outlets and touch-screen Red™ entertainment platforms at every seat.  The Red™ system allows guests to control their own in-flight experience, with a touch-screen food menu, live TV, movies, seat-to-seat chat, a play-list of thousands of MP3s, videogames and more.  Already launched on 13 aircraft, by the second quarter of 2009, the carrier will be the first U.S. airline to offer in-flight Internet on every flight.
Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston and starting on April 30, 2009 – Orange County.

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Media Contact: Patricia Condon (650) 762-7187 / patricia.condon@virginamerica.com