Porter Airlines is bringing consumers in Ontario and Quebec a little “closer” to its masked mascot through its first television campaign that touts the convenience and simplicity of flying with the short-haul airline.
The three animated television commercials from London, U.K.-based Winkreative, Porter’s creative agency of record since the airline began service in 2006, launch in English today. French ads will appear later this month.
The spots feature the brand’s raccoon mascot Mr. Porter and highlight the airline’s friendly service and amenities, which include all-access departure lounges, comfortable in-flight seating and complimentary snacks and beverages.
“Mr. Porter embodies the friendliness and approachability of Porter and has helped to establish our company within the minds of our passengers, so it is natural for him to expand his presence to television,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, in a release.
According to Elizabeth Margles, Porter’s vice-president, marketing and communications, the airline is always looking for new and interesting ways to reach their passengers, and the logical next step was television advertising.
“We’ve done a lot of great print over the last few years, we’re on the web, we’re on radio… the next step in our marketing strategy is to increase the noise about us and to give people a sense of what we’re all about [on TV].”
“Mr. Porter’s personality is obviously our brand personality–it’s clever, it’s cheeky, it’s refined, it’s service oriented. I think that you’re able to take that [only] so far in other media, but I think making him three-dimensional was a real opportunity for us to raise appreciation for the brand.”
The television commercials will air on CTV, CBC, Global, A-Channel, CP24 and BNN. Porter handled the media buy in-house.
