Mark Reeves

Manager-Marketing Communications Star Alliance London, U.K.

Mark Reeves is quick to note that Star Alliance, the oldest and largest airline partnership, is now just 10 years young. As tenth anniversary plans were unfolding, Reeves was presented with a challenge: reposition the meaning of an airline alliance to international business people. Brand tracking research showed that Star Alliance was certainly well-known, and the airline alliance category, although a relatively new concept, was firmly established in the minds of frequent travelers. Despite the high familiarity with the category and its various partnership offerings, those travelers surveyed did not show strong preference for any one airline alliance over another. Mark Reeves’ job was to figure out how to overcome the indifference.

It became clear to Star Alliance that an emotional shift had to be made in the brand positioning. An effective airline alliance needed to evolve from providing flight connections to affording personal business connections and underscoring the benefits of meeting face-to-face. Reeves worked quickly with newly-hired DDB Worldwide, as well as Mediaedge:cia. He now refers to the experience as “a baptism by fire.”

Using the new 10th anniversary tagline of “The Way the Earth Connects,” a three-pronged approach was established to increase preference for Star Alliance. The elements included a tie with CNN’s Business Traveller Reports with Richard Quest, a global competition for an all expenses paid around-the-world luxury experience, and a tour of an interactive mobile exhibition in airports to help customers connect with 10th anniversary programs. After just a few months, unaided awareness increased on average by 30% in the four markets Star Alliance targeted as essential to their image—the U.K., Japan, the U.S. and China.

Mark Reeves clearly enjoys the challenge of his role at Star Alliance. He says, “An alliance is a grouping of airlines, not a specific product or service. It’s challenging to establish the needs of an alliance in the mind of the carriers, as well as the customers. It’s exciting to deliver on creating an emotional preference for this kind of brand.”

A native of Auckland, New Zealand, Mark Reeves made the transition from agency to marketer side of the business four years ago and has been living in the U.K. for the past eight. At times he is nostalgic for New Zealand, especially barbequing on his terrace. However, living in the London, the hub for global advertising, isn’t bad compensation!” Contact: mark.reeves@staralliance.com

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