American Airlines Corporation: Aadvantage campaign (1980s-1990s)

In 1980, with meager goals and little confidence from management, a small group of American Airlines employees developed a new marketing tool.

American Airlines Corporation: Aadvantage campaign

Alan Joyce

Overview

In 1980, with meager goals and little confidence from management, a small group of American Airlines employees developed a new marketing tool. It was "a way for someone who was a very heavy traveler to win a free trip to Hawaii," recalled Rolfe Shellenberger, then manager of marketing planning at American. Still reeling from the deregulation of the industry and involved in the development of a major new hub at Dallas/Fort Worth, the airline had only modest goals for the plan, hoping that 50,000 business travelers would join by year's end. The...

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