Airline Sites for Women
Via Blogher, I’ve been looking at American Airlines new website section devoted to women. So far, there’s nothing jumping out to me as really different (except for better stock photography).
They have pulled out information from the rest of the site as appropriate, plus made some links out to other content partners, eg a clothing company. They have solicited advice from people, but it is presented blandly. Their tips on travel have no attribution, no indication why I should trust this advice. Same with the book recommendations or interviews. Everything is massaged through the copywriters and communications team. Whilst the information is good, it still does not connect with me, there’s no personal touch.
Pam Mandel, who wrote the Blogher post, called up Mary Sanderson from AA to chat about it and it makes for an interesting conversation. This is a work in progress and as mary says, they had to start somewhere. Hopefully it will move towards more of a community site.
AA/Women has ambitions towards being a social networking site for travelers to share information - in addition to being a portal to AA’s booking engine. I think they’ve missed the mark with this launch, but Sanderson is already anticipating the evolution of the site. In the current incarnation, AA/Women holds little to no appeal for this traveler, though I’d be interested in seeing, over the long term, if they are able to embrace and implement the community facing values the propose to support.
Scorecard? Not ready for primetime. But again, Sanderson is candid. “We had to start somewhere. There’s more to come.”
As a quick comparison, take a look at Midwest Airlines blog, or should I say a blog written by an employee with full blessing. A very different tone and function, but still connecting with the women customers by providing travel information with a personal touch.
Tags: americanairlines, genderblogging, midwestRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Engaging the Customer
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