Freedom's 'big, bold' campaign a winner

As Air New Zealand's no-frill fares promotion raises hackles in the travel industry, the very similar campaign waged by Freedom Air is being honoured.

Freedom Air, whose cut-price fares have been trumped by Air New Zealand, took the supreme award at the Marketing Magazine marketing awards last night.

The airline's marketing - which qualified for the supreme award through receiving the Colmar Brunton consumers services award - was "big, bold and brassy", according to the judges.

Freedom Air took the awards for "its year-long strategy to fill a gaping hole left by defaults in the domestic air services market ... [it] created a new category of domestic air traveller and established a strong preference for online booking ... "

That new category of traveller is now being snaffled by Air New Zealand, which released its cut-price fares on Wednesday, accompanied by encouragement to book online.

That has angered the travel industry, which yesterday published an open letter in the Herald urging travellers to use agents. The judges had noted Freedom's campaign "effectively changed the face of traditional booking methods".

Freedom Air is now focused on Tasman routes.

Other winners: FCB marketer of the year: Pip Elliott, general manager sales and marketing, New Zealand Herald.

Bizam charity/fundraising/non-profit award: King's Institute.

School of Business-University of Otago small business award: Orca for Performance Speedsuits.

Scottish Pacific Business Finance business to business award: Bank of New Zealand for Agribusiness.

SmartSource marketing award for fast moving consumable goods: Foodstuffs NZ for Pams.

Marketing Magazine consumer durables award: Sleepyhead Manufacturing.

Morton Estate Wines retail award: Pacific Retail Group for Big Byte.

Young&rubicam.thinking rookie marketer of the year: Genevieve Tearle, brand manager, NZ Dairy Foods.