Brand positioning is the marketing activity of identifying a gap or opportunity, and developing a solution based on research, supporting data and segmentation. Positioning relates to strategizing in the tactical or developmental phases of carrying out an objective in attaining the organization’s goals; such as an increase in sales volume, brand recognition or target reach in advertising.
Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier in Singapore. Operating from Changi airport, it has a strong presence in South and East Asia and the Kangaroo route markets. It’s amongst the top 15 carriers in terms of passenger revenues and 10 for a number of international passengers carried. Recognized as one of the world’s most profitable airlines, Singapore Airlines belongs to this league.
Since its founding, Singapore Airlines has been offering the world a taste of its consistent technology savvy aircraft, and above all a service level that has been unheard of in the airline industry (The Jakarta Post, 2014). In their lingo, “an inflight service that even other airlines talk about.” Along the way, the airline has been accolade as a trend setter, industry leader and best in the industry.
A visual brand experience of the airline is the Singapore Girl, designed by French designer Pierre Balmain in 1972 (Singapore Airline, 2014). This was so successful that it became inseparable from what the airline is. The Singapore Girl has both an aura and a mythical story about her. A personification of all Asian values, she is best described as caring, gentle, warm, graceful, sincere and elegant. She forms a living icon that links Singapore Airlines to its commitment to service excellence.
The airline is renowned for its comprehensive and rigorous cabin crew training. The attentions it pays to details is remarkable. With a brand guidebook that extends past the dressing code of crew into how to walk in those body-hugging uniforms and even shade of lipstick recommended. It disapproves of loud jewelry and limits attendants to grooming in simple earrings and elegant watches. The crew is guided on how to serve their clientele politely. This excellent service and hospitality have seen it 40 years in the industry.
Launching a new airline within 12 months alone shows how versatile the group’s marketing mix is. The team behind this was able to create an independent airline for a target segment of the market in a competitive industry. Clear was their objectives that within the stipulated time, they were able to come up with a strong brand identity for it. This is what came of the Scoot, an independent airline a group member of the Singapore Airlines. Now Scoot represents an excellent example of strategic brand positioning and marketing mix strategies. It shields it parent -Singapore Airlines – from competitive pricing and helps in preserving the premium status of the brand.
In order to be persistent in offering its top-notch services to its large clientele around the world, the airline should go ahead with the space-bed project. It allows first-class passengers to lie horizontally (Deshpande & Hogan, 2014). This is not in order for it to justify the continually rising first-class prices but to provide the kind of travel comfort you could not get anywhere else.
The space-beds are something that the airline can do for an encore. It being an industry leader and a trend setter; pioneering space-beds can be an easy hobby. This investment will increase employment levels and most likely increase the share market of the airline at long-run.
References
Deshpande, R., & Hogan, H. F. (2014, October 21). Singapore Airlines: Customer Service Innovation. .
Singapore Airline. (2014, October 21). Singapore Girl. Retrieved from Singaporeair: http://www.singaporeair.com/jsp/cms/en_UK/flying_with_us/singaporegirl.jsp
The Jakarta Post. (2014, October 22). Singapore Airlines: Powerful lesson in brand building. Retrieved from The Jakarta Post.: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/04/22/singapore-airlines-powerful-lesson
