SA youth votes Mango coolest low cost airline

SA youth votes Mango coolest low cost airline

SA youth votes Mango coolest low cost airline for second year running in Generation Next Awards Mango was this year again recognised as the coolest low cost airline in South African skies at the Generation Next awards in Johannesburg this week. The airline, overall second to South African Airways, pipped its budget peers to pole position in the annual survey of 5800 young South Africans. In 2009, Mango was also ranked coolest low cost carrier.

Thrilled Mango CEO Nico Bezuidenhout says that the youth market remains one of the most important brand seeding platforms for any business. “Brand loyalty, engagement and perceptions are formed early,” he says, “and this is the point where future influence over purchase decision making is founded.” Coolness is about more than just advertising, it’s about the innate culture of a business, what a brand represents and certainly, today, the many layers available to engage and communicate with people.”

Mango has focused much of its energy into innovation; not only through its payment channels and wide distribution network but also through its communication. Mango has embraced social media as a medium to talk directly to our customers and share in the conversation with platforms on Mxit, Facebook, Twitter and a new blog. The airline’s online presence has attracted a community of thousands. Many from the youth market segment.

“Mango is an airline of firsts,” says Bezuidenhout, “first to accept Edgars and Jet retail account cards, offer bookings through Shoprite, Checkers and Checkers Hyper Money Market Counters, first in social media and the first airline to implement a green fee among others. That is what we are about: Innovation. To my colleagues and I, that is what makes it cool working at Mango. This culture, I believe, mirrors outward.”

courtesy of flymango blog