Pivot to millennials? It might work for airlines

The commoditization of air travel has led to an industry-wide race to the bottom in terms of price, and an uncomfortable place in general for the companies and customers alike. A new airline is unleashing an over-the-top strategy to spark a new emotional connection with a coveted -- and fickle -- demographic. Joon, the Air France-KLM subsidiary airline that begins operations this week, is on a mission to win over millennials, even hipsters. Its opening argument is a marketing understatement for the ages. Joon introduced itself as "a fashion brand, a rooftop bar, an entertainment channel, a personal assistant" before admitting -- as an afterthought -- that it's "also an airline." The cabin crews' outfits riff on millennials' beloved athletic clothing. The bar serves smoothies. Virtual reality entertainment is available for business class travellers. Even the destinations are hipster favourites: Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon. Joon checks so many boxes that it's making millennial news sites like Mashable cringe. But that isn't what's intriguing about Joon's marketing. Even if millennials moan about being associated with banal trappings, it rings true nonetheless. They do like smoothies. They are glued to screens and uncomfortable without WiFi (which will be free next year). There are international herds of them -- dressed in fashionable sweatpants -- in Berlin. Besides, what generation appreciates postmodern self-mockery and self-parody more than them? They, however, don't care which airline they fly. As the Boston Consulting Group noted in a 2013 report, millennials are four times more likely than non-millennials to strongly disagree when asked if they were loyal to one or more airline. They are also less likely to collect frequent flier miles or subscribe to loyalty programs than older travellers. Story has further analysis.<br/>