What The Airport Can Teach You About Corporate Marketing

Busy executives and global business owners frequently travel the airport. Most of those trips consist of navigating security, making flights on time, and getting in and out of the airport quickly. The next time you’re in the airport, though, stop and pay attention to the marketing that’s taking place all around you. If corporate marketing is the goal of your next business trip, watch the example the airport sets on your way to the next big marketing conference. 

Creating A Captive Audience
Airports are amazing places. They function almost on the level of a self-contained city. An exploratory trip to the airport will unveil a few of its marketing tactics. Many of these tactics are easily translated and applied to corporate marketing. For example, the airport is an ideal example of creating a captive audience. A captive audience is made up of members of your target audience who have no choice but to be where they are, see what you’re promoting, and purchase within the confines you create. Once you arrive at the airport, everything you need to complete your trip is available within its confines. Forget to pack your toothbrush? Pick up a new one. Luggage too heavy? You can buy another piece or an entire set. Need a snack for the plane ride or a whole meal before taking off? There are restaurants aplenty.

Capturing Your Target Audience
Airports are also great at marketing to their captive audience. You can’t walk for more than a foot or two without seeing some form of marketing and promotion in any airport in the world. On your next business trip, take notice of the many signs that promote the various shops and restaurants available. They’re placed at a variety of eye levels, designed to market not only the airport, but all the products and services they offer, and the plethora of shopping avenues they have.

Segmenting Your Target Market
Not many places master the art of segmenting their corporate marketing efforts like airports. Ads are specifically geared toward men, women, children, families, vacationers, and executives. Ads also reach out to bargain hunters, people with disposable cash, and necessity-only shoppers. Whether you need to purchase a new briefcase, toys and activities to amuse the kids, or a massage to ease the tension of busy executives, it’s available at your airport. Corporate marketing efforts should embrace the practice of creating segments within their target market and designing ads that sell the same (or similar) products and services to each segment at a variety of price points.

Speaking The Language(s) of Your Target Market
Airport travelers are made up of people who speak almost every language in the world. Again, the next time you’re rushing through the airport, take notice of the variety of languages they offer. Signs, ads, displays, wayfinding directions, and every product and service they offer is available in just about every conceivable language translation. In today’s global economy, marketing that speaks the language of every segment of your target market is a must-have.

At DPRINT, we have almost 80 years of experience creating graphic designs that captivate your audience, help segment your marketing, and speak to each segment in their language. Yes – we even translate many of the products and services we offer into a variety of languages designed to hit your target market right between the eyes. Like miniature cities in their own right, airports do marketing right. CEOs and corporate marketers charged with the promotion and growth of their corporations can garner a plethora of marketing strategies and ideas from a trip to the airport. At DPRINT, we have the skills, experience, and expertise to help you leverage the airport’s example and put your best corporate marketing foot forward.