DENVER,
Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Denver's Favorite Airline has
invited Frontier (Nasdaq: FRNT) fans to choose Denver's Favorite Animal in a
new interactive marketing campaign -- and as the campaign moves into its fifth
and final week, the polls have been busy.
Frontier Airlines said more than one million online votes have been cast
so far in its "Denver's Favorite Animal" campaign, an integrated marketing
initiative combining 13 different television spots airing in the Denver
market, plus additional commercials posted on the popular You Tube video
sharing website; an online Campaign Headquarters at www.frontierairlines.com,
including a campaign blog with more than 116 pages of postings; a 14-minute
podcast featuring a candidates' debate, which can be downloaded from the
Frontier web site or from the iTunes Music Store; and an online campaign
merchandise store that has sold more than 800 "press kits," featuring
T-shirts, buttons and stickers for each candidate, to date.
Since the campaign began on January 21, Frontier said traffic to its
website has increased 49.5 percent on a year-over-year basis.
The candidates are among the best-known of the signature animals appearing
on the tails of Frontier aircraft and in the low-cost airline's television,
radio, print and outdoor advertising. Frontier fans can learn about the
candidates and their platforms, and vote for their favorites, by visiting
Campaign Headquarters at www.frontierairlines.com. The polls close at
midnight Denver time on February 24th, and supporters of the Frontier animals
are encouraged to vote early and often.
The campaign, created by New York advertising agency Grey Worldwide, will
continue through February 25th, when Denver's Favorite Animal will be
announced in a 60-second TV spot during the 2007 Academy Awards(R) broadcast
on ABC. The spot also will run simultaneously on the CBS, NBC and ABC late
news programs in a three-network advertising "roadblock," to capture maximum
attention from viewers in the Denver area.
Like Frontier's 2006 "Send Flip to Mexico" campaign, "Denver's Favorite
Animal" is an interactive marketing initiative which has engaged Frontier fans
in Denver and beyond by encouraging consumers to experience and participate in
Frontier's "Whole Different Animal" brand. The "Flip to Mexico" campaign
received a coveted Clio Award, from the world's most recognized international
advertising competition.
The candidates for Denver's Favorite Animal, and their respective campaign
platforms, are:
* Flip the Dolphin, who believes he qualifies as Denver's favorite
because of last year's successful effort to send him to Mexico.
* Grizwald the Bear, who promises free airfare, free back rubs and a free
all-you-can-eat buffet on every flight.
* Hector the Otter, who says (in Spanish) that he doesn't need a
political platform and prefers to go to the beach, and enjoy the
sunshine and a margarita or two.
* Jack the Rabbit, campaigning based on his humble upbringing as one of
36 children, who worked nights in a coal mine, graduated with honors
from CU, and who today volunteers at the local hospice and mentors
underprivileged children in his spare time, according to his campaign
biography.
* Larry the Lynx, who believes the campaign is nothing more than an
egotistical popularity contest and asks Frontier fans not to vote for
him and in fact, to not vote, period.
* The Penguins -- Joe, Jim, Jay and Gary -- who boast of the popularity
of their species, tout their singing talents and seek gigs at "your
next wedding, anniversary or Bar Mitzvah."
* Sal the Cougar, who proposes that Frontier fly only to the three most
exciting cities in the world -- Las Vegas, Hollywood and New York --
with departures every 20 minutes.
"It's been a tight race and we're looking forward to tallying the results
and sharing them with fans during the Oscars," said Diane Willmann, Frontier
Airlines director of advertising. "We hope Frontier fans everywhere,
especially here in Colorado, have enjoyed seeing the animals duke it out to
earn the distinct honor of being chosen as 'Denver's Favorite Animal.'"
About Frontier
Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Denver-based
Frontier Airlines, named "Best Low Cost Carrier" in the U.S. in December 2006
by the readers of Business Traveler magazine. Currently in its 13th year of
operations, Frontier Airlines is the second largest jet service carrier at
Denver International Airport, employing approximately 5,000 aviation
professionals. In July 2006, Frontier ranked as one of the "Top 5 Domestic
Airlines" as determined by readers of Travel & Leisure magazine. With
56 aircraft and one of the youngest Airbus fleet in North America, Frontier
offers 24 channels of DIRECTV(R) service in every seatback along with
33 inches of legroom in an all coach configuration. In conjunction with
Frontier JetExpress operated by Horizon Air, Frontier operates routes linking
its Denver hub to 55 destinations including 47 destinations in 29 states
spanning the nation from coast to coast, seven cities in Mexico and one city
in Canada. Frontier's maintenance and engineering department has received the
Federal Aviation Administration's highest award, the Diamond Certificate of
Excellence, in recognition of 100 percent of its maintenance and engineering
employees completing advanced aircraft maintenance training programs, for
seven consecutive years. For more in-depth information on Frontier Airlines,
please visit our website at http://www.frontierairlines.com/.