Marketing discussion

[Kazari]

Marketing in this game is relatively unsophisticated.

I know Sami has plans for it in the future, but I wanted to open this topic to discuss how marketing should behave in an ideal game.

1. As Sami moves into the population-based game where airport demand is determined by local population, marketing should be part of that. Currently, it is based on airport size. One proposal I would have would have the amount you pay on marketing in a particular market expand the influence range you have. For example, if I chose to put $100,000/week into marketing in my home market, I would reach out 25 NM from my airport, but if I spent $500,000/week, I would reach out to 50 NM from my airport.

2. Another topic that really bothers me is that once you reach 100 RI, it never falls unless you stop flying the route. This does not reflect reality. Airlines MUST advertise certain routes, certain sales, certain promotions. It's the nature of the beast. This is reflected -- in part -- in your CI. But if you lower your overall marketing budget, I think it should be reflected ever so slightly in your RI, as well. I think there should be relentless pressure on you to market yourself.

3. Additional marketing outlets. Frequent flyer programs, signage, fees paid to travel agencies, public relations, etc. are also part of marketing. Perhaps another category -- collateral or other marketing -- should be opened.

[Yb]

I agree totaland considering 2)  - I was proposing this before - I think that the route image 100 should be only if one of the airline is flying it. Otherwise it should be lower. If there are two airlines flying the route, some people would know about this and some about this so they could have max 75 each if there are two airlines, 50 if three etc.

[LTaudi]

I like the frequent flyer program

[ReedME]

Intriguing, but you don't want to make it too complicated or the less experienced players will stop playing.

However I'm all for a more complex marketing engine, where I can decide on the budget rather than it deciding depending on what options I choose. Frequent Flyer programs sound good.

[Yb]

everybody here is talking about ff programs but what would it have in game? How would you implement it? would there be any benefit?

[ReedME]

Thats what I asked myself at first, but you would have it as a potential marketing venture, which is what it is. An encouragement to fly that airline because you get points which enable you freebies of sorts, so it increases CI but costs money, probably cheaper than TV and such if you get what I'm trying to say?

[Kazari]

Oh, it's totally marketing. I agree 100%

[TommyC81]

I don't think RI as it is shoould be changed. If you've been flying a route for years (or some serious marketing/cheap prices etc.) people know you fly it and this is reflected in the RI, which I assume only gives you the percentage of the potential customers you're reaching out to. I.e. RI 70 means 70% of the customers interested in a certain destination is aware of you flying it and is a potential customer. Marketing for a specific route should possible give a temporary boost to the RI (how quickly it's generated and highest possible value) during the duration of the campaign, i.e. during a campaign you could possibly gain an extra 10-20 points of RI to attract more customers = temporary RI of 110-120 etc.

I'm more interested in how those potential customers are then divided on the possible airlines flying the route, example:

Route X to Y, demand 100Y only

Airline 1
RI 100
CI 50
Aircraft type: Medium jet, 8 years old
Comfort: Standard
Capacity: 150
Departure: Morning peak
Price: 180

Airline 2
RI 100
CI 10
Aircraft type: Light turboprop, 1 year old
Comfort: Deluxe
Capacity: 30
Departure: Mid day
Price: 130

How are those passengers divided?

[Kazari]

Well, in that case, the system handles it fine. It's based on their preferences for aircraft size and company reputation.

What I am getting at with my request (at least one of them) is that once you have a 100 RI, you don't have to do anything to maintain it except fly. And I don't think that's enough. You should have to pay more to maintain each additional route.

Perhaps overall marketing costs should be based on number of routes and how much you market in each one and how large that market is (probably not until the market-based system is in place) rather than the revenue of your company.