Michael Beckerman, Canadian Airline International’s soon-to-be-departed vice-president of marketing, says media reports declaring the imminent demise of the Canadian Airlines brand name are off-base.
While Canadian Airlines will, indeed, be merged with Air Canada, Beckerman says Canadian Airlines’ rich brand equity will continue to be mined in some key markets.
‘What we’re talking about is a new Air Canada brand, that would leverage off Canadian Airlines’ traditional strengths in areas such as Western Canada and Asia Pacific,’ he says.
‘Canadian Airlines’ strength has been in bringing a sense of humanity to the travel experience,’ he says, suggesting that that branding focus will live on, with Gee Jeffery & Partners Advertising of Toronto continuing to develop advertising specifically for the Canadian Airlines banner.
Air Canada agency Marketel/ McCann-Erickson of Montreal, Beckerman says, will handle any joint branding efforts.
Beckerman leaves the airline at the end of the month to take over as vice-president, international for Chicago-based MVP.com, a sports oriented e-commerce site owned by Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and John Elway.
