Scoot vs Spirit. Their liveries are different enough, but it goes deeper than that – Photo: Bernie Leighton
Sometimes when airlines fight — we get entertained. The most recent throwing of the punches is between Singapore’s low cost carrier Scoot and US-based Spirit Airlines.
It would seem that Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot, has caught on to something that many might have noticed but filed away as merely a coincidence: branding similarities.
Spirit’s livery is much more in your face – Photo: Spirit Airlines
“So a little yellow birdie told us that a certain American airline looks familiar,” Scoot posted on their Facebook. “It looks like #ScootInspires their current campaign’¦well, we’re really flattered!” It becomes clear that the airline that Scoot is talking about is — wait for it — Spirit.
And Spirit has something to say about all of this.
A recent Scoot advertisement – Image: Scoot | Facebook
Both carriers have taken black and yellow advertising to a new level only attained by taxis. But are they really all that similar? Yes and no.
Spirit goes full on with their black and yellow livery, where Scoot is a bit more conservative with lots of white. Close, yes, but lots of airlines aren’t that different from one another (euro-white anybody?).
Where the two really overlap is in their creative online advertisements, which somehow remind me of the Community Chest cards in Monopoly.
Spirit’s tri-color ad posted recently on their Twitter
Don’t believe me? Watch this video where Scoot explains the similarities.
In that video, you may notice that Mr. Wilson asks Spirit for a response. Well, being the diligent organization we are (and those who do not mind instigating a fun fight between airlines) – we asked.
“We think it’s fun and the type of provocative stunt we’d pull to get attention,” Paul Berry, Spirit Airlines spokesman explained to AirlineReporter. “While there are similarities, our brand and concepts were developed independently. We’re glad we found our doppelgà¤nger, however, that shares our approach to saving customers money on air travel. High five, Scoot.”
Although Spirit and Scoot are rocking the yellow, Hughes Airwest did it years ago – Photo: Aero Icarus | Flickr CC
Well, if Spirit is copying a livery, it sure isn’t Scoot 🙂
Hapag Lloyd Express (HLX) used to fly these yellow/black flying cabs:
https://www.google.nl/search?q=hapag+lloyd+express&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=1028&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Cz41VcSJC8TsaJfqgNAF&ved=0CCwQsAQ
Northeast Airlines’ use of yellow on its ’60s-era “Yellowbirds” predate even the Airwest scheme by a few years (even though they were technically yellow and white)!
Mike H.
FlightJournal.com
Don’t forget the Northeast yellowbirds of the late 1960’s along the east coast of US.
YES I DO REMBER HLX AND THERE YELLOW CABS..
YOU KNOW TIME FOR THE SPRAY GUN AGAIN I SEE…LOL