The Magic Behind Hawaiian Airlines' Marketing

The Aloha Spirit: How Hawaiian Airlines Puts Customer Needs First and Sees a 75% Lift in Revenue

Challenge

Hawaiian Airlines’ marketers were in a bind with their email strategy, tied down to an external agency to get campaigns out the door. This meant they couldn't quickly adapt their communications to the fast-paced market or when unforeseen challenges arose, leaving them a step behind in the highly competitive airline industry.

Solution

Hawaiian Airlines turned the tide by teaming up with Movable Ink. They began using automation and customer-focused tools to swiftly revise and refine their email campaigns. As a result, this boosted their marketing independence and ability to respond to customer needs with speed and precision.

This case study reveals how Hawaiian Airlines’ marketing team delivers “Aloha” in everything they do with their commitment to providing data-driven, informative customer experiences every step of the way.

Communication in Crisis: Ensuring Safety and Support

In the face of the Maui wildfires, Hawaiian Airlines' marketing team acted with urgency, immediately overhauling their communication strategy to ensure vital information reached those affected as quickly as possible. This included suspending promotional content for Kahului and altering ongoing campaigns to share essential updates and support information. This response highlighted the airline's rapid reflexes to the emergency and their attentiveness to unfolding real-time events.

PROMPT EMERGENCY MESSAGING‍

Using Movable Ink's Critical Messaging app, Hawaiian Airlines promptly integrated emergency communications into check-in reminders for flights heading to Maui.

During the critical months of August and September, Hawaiian Airlines extended its contributions beyond mere updates. The airline sent heartfelt messages to its customers, coupled with calls for donations and other assistance, strengthening the community spirit and trust in the brand.

MINDFUL COMMUNICATIONS‍

Several weeks later, as the situation gradually improved, Hawaiian Airlines tactfully resumed promoting travel to Maui, focusing on regions unaffected by the wildfires. This initiative was designed to encourage tourism to areas that could benefit the most, emphasizing its commitment to supporting local businesses in need. This phase of communication featured live pricing for one-way tickets, facilitating informed decision-making for potential travelers. Through these actions, Hawaiian Airlines exemplified its deep commitment to the Maui community during and after the crisis.

Tailor-Made Travels: Introducing Dynamic Maps

In a strategic move to bolster inter-island travel and affirm its position as the premier inter-island carrier, Hawaiian Airlines has taken a groundbreaking step with the launch of their dynamic map feature. Tailoring to the specific destination of the traveler, the map dynamically adjusts, providing a customized visual journey displaying the easiest way to hop from island to island.

The implementation of the personalized map has enhanced customer engagement at Hawaiian Airlines by combining innovation with practicality, making travel planning more intuitive and enjoyable for passengers.

Results: 9% lift in click-through rate

Taking Flight with Innovation: Testing Strategies

Hawaiian Airlines recently experimented with a fresh way of engaging customers by testing live pricing in their fare emails. With Movable Ink, they embedded a dynamic banner at the bottom of the sends, displaying the latest deals on flights to Hawaii in real-time.

This test aimed to make it irresistible for customers to book flights by always presenting them with the most current offers. The strategy paid off, leading to a noticeable increase in conversions and revenue.

Results: 187% lift in conversions, 75% lift in revenue

From Browsing to Boarding: Targeting Unfinished Bookings

Hawaiian Airlines was looking to increase revenue by focusing on potential customers who had abandoned their booking journey before completing their purchase. Recognizing the opportunity in these incomplete transactions, their marketers devised a specifically targeted email campaign. These communications were not generic blasts. Instead, they were carefully curated messages, providing updated pricing information tailored to the exact route the customer had considered but not finalized.

This thoughtful strategy not only demonstrated an understanding of customer needs and preferences but significantly lifted Hawaiian Airlines' revenue by converting abandoned bookings into confirmed reservations.

Results: 6% lift in revenue

Implementing a personalized retargeting program using real-time available pricing has allowed us to effectively generate incremental revenue and boost email engagement.

Jena Zarro

Director of Consumer and Content Marketing, Hawaiian Airlines

Key Takeaways from Hawaiian Airlines' Strategy

Improve response times and relevance during crises by integrating automated communication tools that can rapidly adapt to changing circumstances.
Enhance the customer experience and increase engagement by incorporating dynamic content that adapts to user preferences and behaviors.
Capture potential lost opportunities by targeting customers who have disengaged before completing a transaction by sending messages with the most up-to-date information.