Sky-High Advertising: Exploring the Impact of Indonesia Citilink’s In-Flight Ad Campaigns

Indonesia Citilink is a low-cost airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is a subsidiary of the national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. The airline focus on domestic flights mostly and uses the following airports as hub status in Indonesia: Batam – Hang Nadim International Airport, Bali, Denpasar – Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, Makassar – Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, Medan- Kualanamu International Airport, Surabaya- Juanda International Airport. As for the international flights, Citilink does have chartered flight to Asia, but their international flights are few and focuses mostly on Singapore – Changi Airport as well as Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur and Penang International Airports.   

Although Low-Cost Carrier Citilink was founded by Garuda in 2001, it is actually more popular than its parent company and had enjoyed better reviews. Citilink is also certified by Skytrax as a 4-Star Low-Cost Airline for the quality of its airport and onboard product and staff service. Product rating includes cabin comfort, baggage / seat charges, buy onboard food & beverages, cabin cleanliness, and service rating is for cabin and ground staff.

In fact, Citilink has managed to project a much more youthful image and provides the reliability and timeliness that Garuda group is known for and at a much more affordable and no frills price! Here are some of the glowing reviews:

“I have had great experiences while flying with Citilink….I have flown multiple times with them and I have always had a pleasant experience”

“I have never experienced any problems while flying with Citilink and they have always arrived on time and I have never had any issues with baggage.”

“I can happily recommend Citilink to anyone looking for a reliable and affordable airline in Indonesia.”

Indonesia is a rapidly developing market with a large and growing middle class, making it an attractive target for advertisers. Studying the impact of in-flight advertising in Indonesia can provide valuable insights for marketers and advertisers looking to target this demographic. What’s interesting about the demographics of Citilink passengers are that they are:

  • The majority of their passengers at 41% and 29% are the millennial and the Gen X of Indonesians which are precisely the large and growing middle class.
  • More than 50% female and more than 50% are married
  • Close to 50% of the passengers are traveling for work and business while the rest of them are traveling to visit friends and family which is not surprising given the huge archipelago that Indonesia is!

In-flight advertising is a powerful marketing tool that can provide exposure to a captive audience, and Indonesia Citilink has been successful in implementing this strategy.

International In-flight advertising is a powerful marketing tool that can reach a captive audience of potential customers. According to a survey by the Airline Passenger Experience Association, 42% of passengers are likely to pay attention to in-flight ads, and 86% of them found in-flight ads to be either helpful or informative. Additionally, in-flight ads have been shown to have a higher recall rate than traditional ads, with passengers remembering up to 94% of in-flight ads compared to only 64% of print ads.

Advertising at high altitudes offers several advantages. First, passengers are in a relaxed state during flights, which can increase their receptiveness to ads. Additionally, the captive audience provides a unique opportunity for brands to reach a specific demographic. Moreover, in-flight ads can target passengers based on their destination, airline, and flight duration. This level of targeting can result in a more efficient use of marketing resources and better ROI for advertisers.

Several brands have successfully utilized in-flight advertising to reach their target audience. One example is the collaboration between Emirates Airlines and Swarovski, where the luxury brand created an in-flight amenity kit for Emirates’ first-class passengers. Another example is Turkish Airlines’ in-flight safety video featuring the Lego Movie characters, which garnered millions of views on YouTube and social media. These successful campaigns showcase the potential of in-flight advertising to create brand awareness and drive customer engagement.

For Citilink Inflight advertising effectiveness, it was claimed that 86% of the respondents have seen ads on the Citilink aircrafts with overhead bins being the most effective.

For this Ramadan season of 2023 post pandemic where travellers and finally freely travel home to visit friends and family that Tokopedia went all out for inflight advertising on Citilink Inflight options. It also helps that both Tokopedia and Citilink has both green as their corporate colours, making both of them the perfect match.

Tokepedia used both head seat covers as well as experiential inflight sampling for their campaign in 6 aircrafts. The Perfect Media team in Indonesia had supported Tokopedia to execute the advertising massage – “Cash back if pay with Tokopedia Go Pay” – making this the perfect festive greetings to express love and as blessings to friends and family.

Types of In-Flight Advertising

In-flight advertising can take various forms and can be strategically placed throughout the aircraft to maximize exposure to passengers. Indonesia Citilink uses a range of in-flight advertising types, including:

E-boarding pass ads

E-boarding pass ads are displayed on the passenger’s electronic boarding pass or mobile device. These ads can be targeted based on the passenger’s travel itinerary and can be used to promote products and services that are relevant to the passenger’s trip.

Overhead bin ads

Overhead bin ads are placed on the interior of the overhead bins. These ads are visible to passengers when they are stowing their carry-on luggage or retrieving their bags at the end of the flight. Overhead bin ads can be used to promote a wide range of products and services, from car rentals to credit cards.

Cabin bag tag ads

Cabin bag tag ads are placed on the tags that are attached to the passenger’s carry-on luggage. These ads can be used to promote products and services that are relevant to air travel, such as travel insurance or airport transportation.

Head cover seat ads

Head cover seat ads are placed on the headrest covers of the seats. These ads are highly visible and can grab passengers’ attention while they are seated. Head cover seat ads can be used to promote a wide range of products and services, from travel destinations to credit cards.

Aircraft wrap

Aircraft wrap involves covering the exterior of the aircraft with an advertisement. This form of advertising is highly visible both on the ground and in the air, and can be used to create a strong brand presence.

Activation on board

Activation on board involves creating a brand experience for passengers during the flight. This can include product demonstrations, sampling, or other interactive activities that engage passengers and create a positive brand association.

Trolley ads

Trolley ads are placed on the beverage and snack carts that are used during the flight. These ads can be used to promote food and beverage brands or to advertise products and services that are relevant to the airline industry.

F&B catalogue

F&B catalogue involves including a catalogue of food and beverage options that are available for purchase during the flight. These catalogues can be used to promote specific food and beverage brands or to provide information about the airline’s offerings.

By using a mix of in-flight advertising types, Indonesia Citilink can reach passengers at different touchpoints throughout the flight and provide a more engaging and immersive in-flight experience.

In-flight advertising is a powerful marketing tool that can reach a captive audience of high-value and niche customers that are on a certain route or low-cost carrier. The effectiveness of in-flight advertising is supported by research that suggests passengers are receptive to ads during flights. The high-altitude environment also provides unique advantages that can enhance the impact of ads.

Indonesia Citilink’s in-flight ad campaigns have been successful in creating positive brand associations and delivering value to passengers through partnerships with leading brands in Indonesia. However, the effectiveness of their campaigns may vary across different customer segments, and further research is needed to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the impact of in-flight ads in Indonesia.

The Perfect Media Group is an advertising agency and media owner that specialises in the airports and ferry terminals in Indonesia. With our Outdoor Advertising sites in the airports and our experience with Angkasa Pura which are actually two separate state-owned enterprises of PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (InJourney) responsible for the management of airports in Indonesia. Let us know how we can make your advertising advertising journey in Jakarta and Indonesia materialise!

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