United Airlines’ "Skip the line" campaign leverages a familiar travel pain point—waiting in long airport lines for customer service—to emphasize the convenience and efficiency of its Agent on Demand service. The brand proposition centers on providing seamless, immediate access to airline representatives through phone or mobile app, effectively eliminating frustrating wait times and enhancing the customer experience. By aligning this value with the broader purpose of connecting people and simplifying travel, United positions itself as a customer-centric airline focused on easing common travel challenges.
The market strategy is built on a highly relevant behavioral insight: travelers’ aversion to wasting time in queues. The campaign ingeniously uses YouTube’s ‘skip ad’ feature as a metaphor, inviting viewers to literally “skip the line” by skipping the ad, paralleling how they can bypass airport wait times using Agent on Demand. This creative angle is executed through a bespoke narrative film that initially shows a slow-moving airport line, prompting viewers to skip or endure the tedium of waiting, thereby viscerally communicating the value of the service. Targeting digital audiences on YouTube, the ad exploits platform-specific mechanics to strengthen the message and engage viewers interactively. By doing so, the campaign turns passive ad-watching into an experiential demonstration of the brand’s promise, resonating with time-sensitive travelers and reinforcing United’s commitment to convenience and innovation in travel service.
FORMAT#2 SHOW THE PROBLEM — Highlights a relatable problem, then shows the product as the solution.
This United Airlines campaign epitomizes the "Show the Problem" format. The spot opens with a universally frustrating airport scenario: people shuffling endlessly in line to speak with an agent, visually emphasizing the tedium and pain point many travelers know. The creative twist builds on YouTube's 'skip ad' button, aligning the act of skipping the ad with the ability to skip the line using United’s Agent on Demand service. The direct juxtaposition of the problem (standing in line) and United’s seamless solution effectively dramatizes the benefit, with minimal storytelling and no symbolic exaggeration, celebrity presence, or parody mechanisms.
1. Delta Air Lines – Market Positioning
Delta positions itself as a premium global carrier focused on operational reliability, customer service excellence, and a robust global network. It emphasizes innovation in technology and comfort, offering seamless travel experiences with amenities like Delta One suites and extensive loyalty benefits via SkyMiles.
2. American Airlines – Market Positioning
American Airlines differentiates through its extensive route network, especially strong domestic coverage and transatlantic flights. It leverages its Oneworld alliance membership to offer global connectivity and focuses on modernizing its fleet and airport lounges to enhance customer comfort and convenience.
3. Southwest Airlines – Market Positioning
Southwest Airlines is known for its low-cost, no-frills approach combined with a strong customer service ethos. It offers free checked bags and no change fees, appealing to budget-conscious travelers craving simplicity, reliability, and a friendly brand personality with a focus on domestic routes.
4. Alaska Airlines – Market Positioning
Alaska Airlines stands out in the West Coast market by combining strong regional connectivity with a customer-centric approach, emphasizing personalized service, innovative tech features, and a strong loyalty program (Mileage Plan). It prides itself on operational efficiency and a dependable, friendly travel experience.
5. JetBlue Airways – Market Positioning
JetBlue differentiates as a hybrid carrier blending low fares with a premium feel, offering more legroom, free in-flight entertainment, and Wi-Fi. It targets value-conscious travelers who seek comfort and quality service, focusing on domestic and Caribbean markets with a fresh, approachable brand.
Q: What is United — Skip the line about?
A: United — Skip the line is a 2022 campaign created by 72andSunny LA for United Airlines in the United States travel market. The campaign uses a playful video on YouTube that leverages the platform’s skip ad button to highlight United’s Agent on Demand service, which allows customers to bypass long airport lines by connecting instantly with airline representatives via phone or mobile app. The ad opens with a slow-moving airport queue and invites viewers to skip the ad, mirroring how travelers can skip the line with United’s service. This integrated film and media campaign emphasizes convenience and customer experience.
Q: What creative device does United — Skip the line use?
A: United — Skip the line employs the FORMAT#2 SHOW THE PROBLEM creative device as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This format highlights a relatable problem—in this case, the frustration of waiting in long airport lines—and then presents the product as the solution. The campaign uses YouTube’s skip ad button as a metaphor for skipping the line, creating a direct and experiential contrast between enduring the wait and choosing United’s Agent on Demand service. The approach relies on minimal storytelling and no symbolic exaggeration, focusing on clear, problem-solution dramatization.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for United — Skip the line?
A: The strategic positioning of United — Skip the line centers on addressing travelers’ aversion to wasting time in queues by promoting the Agent on Demand service, which provides seamless and immediate access to airline representatives via phone or mobile app. United targets time-sensitive travelers, emphasizing convenience and efficiency to enhance the customer experience. The campaign aligns this message with United’s broader purpose of connecting people and simplifying travel, positioning the airline as customer-centric and innovative within the travel and tourism category.
Q: How does United — Skip the line rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: United — Skip the line holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 69/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in blending media strategy with storytelling and its resonance with digital audiences through platform-specific creative use.
Q: Who are the competitors in United Airlines' category?
A: United Airlines competes with several major carriers, each with distinct market positioning. Delta Air Lines emphasizes premium global service with operational reliability and technological innovation. American Airlines focuses on extensive route networks and global connectivity through its Oneworld alliance. Southwest Airlines appeals to budget-conscious travelers with a no-frills, customer-friendly approach emphasizing simplicity and value. Alaska Airlines targets the West Coast market with personalized service and operational efficiency. JetBlue positions itself as a hybrid carrier offering low fares combined with premium comfort and quality service, focusing on domestic and Caribbean routes.
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