When American Airlines briefed us to launch their new service from Shannon to Boston, they already knew they faced a difficult task to win over local passengers from Aer Lingus, the incumbent national carrier. American Airlines’ European Marketing Manager described the problem in the brief succinctly as ‘no pressure or anything!’.

We knew winning over Irish hearts was central to the answer, so we proposed a unique value proposition – ‘Boston for a song’ – to generate a positive first impression on prospective passengers of American Airlines. On the streets and in the pubs and shops of Western Ireland, a Boston-style barbershop quartet tunefully announced the arrival and benefits of American Airlines. This was supported with local regional radio and direct mail targeting local travellers.