Ads get a thumbs down at Jet Airways

Hong Kong - Jet Airways says public relations is more important than advertising dismissing it as "just commercial hard sell".

The Indian domestic airline partnered with Page One to organise a book signing session for Vikas Swarup (pictured), author of Q&A, his book made into the Golden Globe and Oscar winning Hollywood movie Slumdog Millionaire.

Kay Yew Koh, regional manager for Jet Airways Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, said, public relation is "far more important than advertising in marketing our brand."

He said organising events to promote Indian culture will get people to become more interested in India and to fly with Jet Airways than just promoting the airline.

"The airline is a bridge to two countries and we see our role in a greater sense," he said.

Koh added that Jet Airways will continue to encourage and support similar visits by other leading cultural figures from India to Hong Kong.

He admitted that most of the passengers that fly on Jet Airways are usually business travellers and that the local people still have not discovered India as a holiday destination.

Face with an ad budget cut due to the recession, the airline will also work closely with travel agencies to execute tactical ads on tour travel.

Koh said Hong Kong people are shrewd consumers and that they will take full advantage of cheaper airfares and hotels to visit India.

Jet Airways expanded its service to Hong Kong last April and appointed Strategic Public Relations Group as its PR agency.

When the contract ended this year, Jet Airways has shifted the business to Madison Communications having worked with the agency previously for an online campaign with Yahoo.

Madison is selected as the PR agency as it is "innovative, creative and passionate".  

There is no appointed ad agency for Jet Airways while media is still handled by Starcom.