Love Takes Off

Cork Airport

Already the second-busiest airport in the country, Cork Airport had bigger ambitions to see their passenger numbers take off and land a bigger market share in the region.

But to do that, they needed to win hearts and minds. The marketing team appointed TOTEM to help them refresh and reposition their brand in order to connect with potential passengers, and inspire them with the incredible array of new destinations available from Cork.

Simplify

Our first step was to hold a brand strategy workshop. Why? We wanted to obtain absolute clarity on the airport’s customers’ point of view and define just what untapped need Cork Airport uniquely meets. This proved very fruitful, with the airport’s proximity for air travellers in Munster and South Leinster, its nearby and plentiful parking, plus the speed and convenience with which passengers can clear security emerging as powerful draws.

What we took away from the workshop was that flying from Cork Airport is a joy for passengers. We distilled this thought, along with insights and analysis from previous brand work conducted, into a single statement of the brand promise and new tagline: “Love taking off”. With convenience and ease the cornerstone of the Cork Airport proposition, especially in terms of the number of popular destinations people can fly to, TOTEM has firmly positioned the airport as the antidote to the stresses and complications of air travel.

Create

The last couple of years have seen TOTEM collaborate intimately with the marketing team at Cork Airport to anchor the “Love Taking Off” promise to every campaign.

The 2023 winter travel campaign captured how the airport’s proximity and convenience gave people a way to escape the dull, grey repetitive routine of winter in Ireland, and seize the moment – at a moment’s notice – to take a trip somewhere fantastic… fast. The month of October focused on winter sun and passengers who wanted a last gasp beach break before the clocks went back. November centred on city breaks, while December targeted skiers and European destinations close to skiing resorts. This three-pillar approach kept the brand relevant for travellers over the winter season.

Simplicity is front and centre for the summer 2024 campaign. “Make Summer Simple” highlights how Cork Airport eliminates the need for air travellers to complicate the holiday booking process, comparing and contrasting all of the deals they find online, when the airport’s distinct advantages make it the obvious option.

Empower

While the summer calendar may be the focus for most airports, TOTEM has developed a consistent visual style and storytelling narrative with “Love Taking Off” that has made Cork Airport a year-round brand with a strong voice across the 12 months.

In-campaign, messaging is driven home with distinctive press, radio, and digital that comprises the full suite of Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn formats, both paid and organic. The social platforms are where we raise awareness of the Cork Airport proposition and maximise the potential to boost passenger numbers throughout the year

TOTEM also designs and publishes a monthly newsletter for the airport, which keeps the messaging current and the campaign fresh, highlighting not only the key destinations for that particular time of year, but the key factors that make Cork Airport such an attractive option for passengers in Munster and South Leinster, underpinning why they will “Love Taking Off” there.

Working with TOTEM has been refreshing. We found in Colin and his team, a shared passion for doing things right and reappraising the status quo, to do the right things. I’m a firm believer in getting the strategy right first, investing time at the outset to get the process right and then trusting the creatives to deliver the outputs based on these vital inputs. This is working for us at Cork Airport. Our business has literally taken off with TOTEM on board.

Kevin Cullinane, Deputy Director of Communications, daa

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