Dive Brief:

• Southwest Airlines is attempting to flex on competitors with a new campaign highlighting the carrier’s perks through colorful vignettes, per a press release.   
• “The Big Flex,” which launches wide April 22, depicts how customers benefit from Southwest policies like the ability to check two bags free and receive flight credits and points that don’t expire. The brand is broadening its work with influencers to create localized content.  
• The boastful effort developed with agencies Spark Foundry and GSD&M will appear across streaming, linear TV, social media and audio platforms. It follows a year when Southwest was in recovery mode after a 2022 holiday travel meltdown dented consumer trust in the airline. 

Dive Insight:

Southwest is positioning its services as a balm to the complexity and expense found at other carriers with “The Big Flex.” In a statement around the launch, Vice President of Marketing Jonathan Clarkson took a shot across the bow at rivals that “nickel and dime” fliers with hidden fees.

New commercials showcase Southwest perks through character-driven stories. In one, a man swaggers out of his hotel onto the street, his confidence boosted by a head of bouncing curly hair. He explains to a woman at a crosswalk that he’s able to maintain the look by packing a lot of shampoo on trips, a habit enabled by Southwest’s check-two-bags-free policy. 

Another video, “MeeMaw,” shows a couple gleefully sliding into a resort pool and telling other guests that they’ve been able to extend their trip an extra day due to Southwest offering flight changes with no fees. They thank meemaw, a slang word for grandmother, for taking care of the kids in the meantime. 

Along with traditional spots, the campaign landing ahead of the summer travel rush includes partnerships with online creators who will produce content for specific Southwest destinations. The brand has additionally crafted ads targeted at key local markets.

“We’re expanding our collaborations with influencers to highlight many of our amazing destinations,” said Julia Melle, director of brand and content at Southwest Airlines, in a statement. “We’re excited to invite a new generation of Customers to see what the airline with Heart has to offer.”

“The Big Flex” arrives as Southwest continues to rebuild brand trust after a 2022 holiday SNAFU saw the carrier cancel thousands of flights, leaving some 2 million passengers adrift during a crucial travel window. The company in December paid a $140 million civil penalty over the matter, an industry record.