kulula’s controversial rebranding

Figure 1: kulula airline


Figure 2: South African Airways airline

To recap on past branding events you might have missed, in March 0f 2013 kulula revealed their new branding strategy. This branding was primarily focused on rebranding their line of fleets with the slogan ‘The Most South African Airways’. Now if you happen to ignore the first two words in the phrase you might notice the distinct resemblance it bears to the brand name of another well known airline. At the official press conference Nadine Damen, kulula’s Marketing Manager spoke of how proud they were of the slogan and hoped it would be received well by their target audience. It goes without mention that the company being copied, South African Airways was pretty peeved about the move.

Now since its inception in 2001 khulula prides itself in being the only privately owned airline in the country, now South African Airways on the other hand was founded in 1934 after the South African Government acquired Union Airways. South African Airways has higher brand recognition because of how long it has been with the country. The re-branding proposed by kulula boasted the phrase “The Most South African Airways” written on the side of the planes in a font suspiciously similar to  the one used by South African Airways to brand their planes. To put the last nail in the coffin the back tail of their planes utilised the South African flag in graphic representation similar to the South African Airways logo.

A few days after the unveiling of the “new” branding strategy kulula held yet another awkward press conference promising to review their proposed branding. This came after a number of people voiced their concerns over the company’s proposed rebranding of their fleet and South African Airways having lodged a complaint with The Advertising Standards Authority.

This was not a wise move for kulula as they went through all that trouble to be labelled as copycats at the end of the day. One out of plain curiosity is compelled to try and decipher why they would go through so much trouble to rebrand themselves in a way which would make them  similar to their biggest competitor. The last time I checked company’s re/branded in order to stand apart from their competitors. This little stunt they pulled is akin to Nandos advertising, its hilarious.

Reference: 

http://www.news24.com/Travel/Flights/kulula-launches-controversial-rebranding-20130306

http://wallstreet.platinumdeplus.com/south-african-airways-against-kulula/

http://www.flightsforafrica.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/9.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Airways