New Southwest Brand Campaign: “The Big Flex”

Southwest Airlines has just unveiled a new brand campaign, which is the carrier’s largest in nearly a decade…

Southwest’s new “The Big Flex” brand campaign

Southwest’s new brand campaign is called “The Big Flex,” and it’s intended to showcase the carrier’s flexible and customer friendly points of difference. This includes how the carrier allows two free checked bags, how flights credits and points don’t expire, and how there are no change or cancelation fees on tickets.

The campaign is centered around stories of customers who benefit from Southwest’s flexible policies, and showcases the ways customers can get more value and a better travel experience when flying on Southwest.

The new campaign will formally debut on April 22, with placements across multiple platforms, including streaming services, broadcast and cable TV, social media, and audio platforms.

Below you can see a few ad spots that are part of this campaign.

Here’s how Jonathan Clarkson, Southwest’s VP of Marketing, describes the campaign:

“In an industry full of growing complexity, Customers want ease and flexibility when they travel, and we pride ourselves on delivering an experience that doesn’t nickel and dime Customers with hidden fees. The inspiration for ‘The Big Flex’ is giving Customers the freedom to say yes by connecting them to what’s important in their lives with unrivaled flexibility. It’s about making a big deal out of something that others might overlook—like getting to check two bags for free, having the freedom to stay an extra day on your trip without worrying about change fees, and using your Rapid Rewards points whenever you want because they don’t expire.”

My take on Southwest’s new brand campaign

Southwest’s new ad campaign in fun, approachable, and a bit exaggerated, and I think it will grab attention of viewers. So on balance I think it’s quite well done.

Southwest does indeed still have some major points of differentiation, like two free checked bags, and travel credits not expiring. However, there’s no denying that the gap has narrowed in other areas. For example, both Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus miles no longer expire either, so that’s not a point of differentiation for Southwest.

Furthermore, it’s interesting how heavily the campaign is focused on Southwest’s lack of change or cancelation fees, since that’s basically the standard at most full service airlines in the United States nowadays.

Also, while I understand this is just an ad campaign intended to make a point, the whole concept of extending your vacation by a day and not having to pay a fee is technically accurate, but also a bit misleading. Yes, you didn’t pay a fee to change your flight, but you do have to pay the fare difference. And in a vast majority of instances, there will be a fare difference if you change your flight the day before departure.

I feel like Southwest should be leaning more into how it doesn’t have basic economy and allows free carry-ons, since that’s arguably a much bigger point of differentiation compared to the legacies.

Bottom line

Southwest has unveiled its new brand campaign, called “The Big Flex.” It’s lighthearted, and showcases Southwest “customers” who “flex” about how they’re flying Southwest and not paying change fees, checked bag fees, etc.

What do you make of Southwest’s new ad campaign?