Ryanair - the low cost advertiser!

Whatever you think about Ryanair, you have to admit that their advertising campaigns are nothing if not effective!

In a world where advertising costs are at a premium, Ryanair's model of low cost air travel is also extended to their methods of self-promotion.

Ryanair operates in the low cost airline sector that aims to provide a basic, "no frills" air travel service with minimum comfort and only the most essential facilities included in the price.

Companies operating in this sector aspire to provide low-cost air travel to as many people as possible going to as many destinations as possible. This is achieved by selling tickets on-line (cutting out ticket agents), dealing with cheaper secondary airports, fleet ownership over leasing, and aggressive cost control thereby reducing the cost to the consumer, especially in the case of the most successful operators like Ryanair. In order to make a profit, these airline operators need to get as many people flying as they can possibly fit into their planes -  and therefore quantities of paying customers over quality of service is the main objective.

This low cost option appeals to customers who do not need, or necessarily want to pay higher costs for any associated luxuries, and who just need to get to their destination as cheaply as possible. Consequently, air travel is more affordable for greater numbers of customers, many of whom would not have the choice or intention to travel with higher cost airlines.

Cheap flights are cheap for a reason, and while many people realize this, many don't and sometimes expect more than the basic service on offer. Rightly or wrongly this frequently leads to frustration and annoyance, which has become an expected factor of the overall cheap flight experience. Although in comparison to the distances covered and choice of destinations, many more realize the great value for money that can be had.

Cheap airline tickets are among the few products that do not have to associate high levels of customer support and goodwill with their products. The priority is to get bums on seats through offering the lowest upfront price possible. However, there are often extortionate charges for not following the terms and conditions, or for requiring any extras above the most basic service, such as “excess baggage” charges.

Cancellations, long delays, and many other associated annoyances have become a regular feature of the air travel experience and is rarely a pleasurable experience. However, when customers are allowed to think of it as being cheap, air travel doesn't seem that bad after all.

The image is one example of a low cost airline -  Ryanair's  - typical approach to selling it's products.

The main aim of the Ryanair advert is to position the airline in the minds of as many potential customers as possible as the airline offering the cheapest fares on the market. In a highly competitive market, the message needs to be strong and direct to gain as much publicity as possible for the least cost.

Ryanair deliberately courts controversy in order to get people talking about them, often goading the competition into a reaction, which usually generates even more publicity for the company.

The image is particularly effective as it immediately attracts attention to the message that the Ryanair wants to be heard – that their fares are much cheaper then the named competitor over the same routes. Using the image of the Manneken Pis, a prominent statue in Brussels, Ryanair confronts the Belgian carrier SABENA's more expensive pricing.

This message is clearly conveyed in the image, needing only few words to support it. The publicity generated from the controversy that ensued far exceeded the cost of the advertising campaign, including costs arising from court actions taken against Ryanair.

With low cost airlines, customer loyalty will depend on whoever can supply the lowest price, and  consequently Ryanair dispense with the subtleties of conventional advertising techniques in favour of brash insolence or cheeky jabs at the competition to get this point across.  

The appropriateness of the advert will depend on each individuals prejudice and viewpoint. Some will find Ryanair's self-promotion through causing offence to others objectionable and in poor taste, while others will appreciate the humour, or even see through the cynicism.

However, when it comes to air fares, many will put their feelings of indignation aside, albeit temporarily, to avail of dirt cheap flights.