Social Networking Takes to the Skies

November 21, 2008 | Uncategorized

A few weeks ago I wrote about social marketing (Savvy Marketers and Social Marketing) and how it was being used more and more by hotels. Now some of the airlines — at least some European airlines — have found social networking to have great marketing potential, as well.

The Europeans have seen this as a pretty good marketing idea, which it is, and one which U.S. carriers will likely follow once they get their economic hangers in order.

Yes, there are social networking sites hosted by some U.S. carriers — Southwest’s “Nuts About Southwest” comes to mind — but the foreign carriers efforts are different. Southwest’s site is basically for employees to write about the airline, although anyone can leave a comment. The European efforts are actually consumer driven — purer social networking sites than any of the airline efforts on this side of the Atlantic.

Germany’s Lufthansa recently launched what it claims is the first airline-sponsored social network for college students. It’s a wunderbar of an idea since it gives the carrier marketing info on the next generation of business and leisure travelers.

The site — GenerationFly.com – gives enrolled students the opportunity to compare travel experiences and buy discounted student fares on Lufthansa. But before you start dreaming of scoring a few cheap tickets to next year’s Oktoberfest, be aware that you must have an .edu email address and present your college ID at the airport.

Lufthansa’s foray into the field follows by about a year-and-a-half KLM’s launch of three online sites — one each for business executives who fly a lot to Africa, who fly to China and who play golf. The latter lets members chat about different golf courses and also buy golf equipment with their frequent flyer points.

Not to be left out of the game, SAS has launched flysas.com/gay,a social networking site for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender/transsexuals, a high-income demographic group that travels extensively. The site offers maps, guides and an events calendar of interest to gays and is updated daily by gay members of the airline’s staff.

Watch for U.S. carriers to become more involved in social networking as their need to drive greater ticket sales increases in the softening economy.

Jim Ferri