RedQ - Asia newest ultra-premium airline

[melbourne rebel]

Seems the marketing types have been hard at it:

IT MAY not trip off the tongue like the Flying Kangaroo but RedQ is emerging as the most likely name for Qantas's latest spinoff, an ultra-premium airline aimed at executives travelling in Asia.

Qantas is attempting to trademark the name in Australia which, branding experts say, borrows heavily on its heritage but is distinct enough to signal the arrival of a new player in the global aviation game.

The company has kept under wraps the finer details of its plans for the executive-styled airline, but BusinessDay has learnt that Qantas's lawyers have lodged several trademark applications, including those for RedQ, RedQ Executive Express, RedSky and OneAsia. ...

Read more: 'RedQ' rumours take flight

​

 

[pauly7]

Red is a lucky colour in a lot of Asian countries!

 

[GoldenWinger]

RedQ - it sounds like some cheap backpacker low rent chav/bogan airline operating from Luton airport...

 

[ozmille]

And the french will go; 'why would you call an airline red a**'

 

[GoldenWinger]

ozmille - too funny! C'est vrai - un cul rouge!!! lol.

Didn't think of that - but you are so right.

 

[Justchecking]

It does sound LCC, and more to the point, what relevance does it have to an Asian market? :shock: Someone hasn't bothered to do any kind of cultural research.

 

[dontwanttoregister]

It does sound LCC, and more to the point, what relevance does it have to an Asian market? :shock: Someone hasn't bothered to do any kind of cultural research.

Um, the relevance to the Asian market would be the colour red...

That said, I hate the name. But I also think it wise to wait and see, newspapers do not equal truth.

 

[ozmille]

ozmille - too funny! C'est vrai - un cul rouge!!! lol.

Didn't think of that - but you are so right.

couple of us had a good giggle over coffee this morning :shock:

 

[Justchecking]

Um, the relevance to the Asian market would be the colour red...

And thats it? Call me simple but I hope there's a bit more to brand identity than a colour. The name sounds particularly foreign and the only other airline to use red extensively in that region would be AirAsia, a cheap airline. Is it possible that while red is considered a lucky colour it's not particularly associated with wealth and affluence? Paper lanterns, fire crackers and certain feng shui items are red but that does not a classy product make. And the Q marketing device is something recognized only by Australians.

I would have thought a super premium product targeted at a foreign market would at the very least consult with a local (to the region) marketing firm to sort out a brand identity that would be appealing. Chinese like gold too but that doesn't mean painting your planes gold will make you a local brand.

 

[oz_mark]

For an English speaker, it's not really a name that just rolls off the tongue, and in some countries pronouncing the 'R' is a challenge.

Anyhow, given they seemed to have registered a bunch of names, I guess the market research is still to come, and they don't want anyone nicking names!

(And it's too easy to play games with a name like RedQ!)

 

[yohy?!]

we need a vomiting smiley added for future use...

 

[harvyk]

I suppose it's no more silly than using the name "Virgin Blue" for Virgin's entry into the AU market. Virgin being an airline which until DJ had little presence in AU, and blue a colour which does hold some meaning for us, eg True Blue \ Bluey etc...

Whilst I question the wisdom of using a three brand strategy when the QF brand is such a strong one on it's own right the name RedQ is not overly silly. Although it does sound like an airline which should be flying in Soviet era.

 

[Moopere]

Yes, I agree - sounds a bit soviet era

Nevertheless, otherwise seems ok. Had a mighty good laugh at "Cul rouge", but its surprising how often names incur funny meanings in other languages, you can't win that one, just got to try and steer clear of the most awful ones.

As for the 'why', when QF is such a strong brand, well, I think its more obvious then ever that management is on (and has been on for some time), a long time strategy of trying to find ways to cut wages cost and they just won't be able to do that via a full frontal confrontation with local staff. I'm convinced we'll see a change by stealth where QF shrinks down to almost nothing, before being re-launched at a future time, perhaps many years down the track.

With the chatter of MH joining oneworld now subsiding as allegiances jiggle about a bit and talk of MH really seriously struggling financially, I'm looking forward to "RedQ", or someone, anyone, with an allegiance to OneWorld starting SE Asian routes.

 

[Justchecking]

?... but its surprising how often names incur funny meanings in other languages, you can't win that one, just got to try and steer clear of the most awful ones.

routes.

Evidently the Thai's didnt consider Mo Chit's pronounciation when naming their BTS stations. I laughed the whole day when I heard it announced.

 

[Jobu]

The comment at the bottom of the article cracked me up:

"How about calling it "Far Q" which is what Allan Joyce seems to be intent on doing to his Australian based Qantas pilots."

 

[pauly7]

And thats it? Call me simple but I hope there's a bit more to brand identity than a colour. The name sounds particularly foreign and the only other airline to use red extensively in that region would be AirAsia, a cheap airline. Is it possible that while red is considered a lucky colour it's not particularly associated with wealth and affluence? Paper lanterns, fire crackers and certain feng shui items are red but that does not a classy product make. And the Q marketing device is something recognized only by Australians.

I would have thought a super premium product targeted at a foreign market would at the very least consult with a local (to the region) marketing firm to sort out a brand identity that would be appealing. Chinese like gold too but that doesn't mean painting your planes gold will make you a local brand.

Ok Simple (Sorry took the bait!)

Research the colour red in Asia. It has tremendous significance. I know because I've managed multiple Asian markets before. It does seem trivial to us westerners but it's amazing what it means to them!

Secondly the overt link to Qantas with Q also plays on the very very strong reputation Qantas has in Asia primarily for safety and reliability. There is a reason that JQi's are plastered with 'part of the QF group' livery - and it wasn't for Australia it was for Asia.

So from a person with a lot of Asian market experience I can see why and how they arrived at this as a potential. Hope this helps

 

[clifford]

It's still stupid...

 

[chonetsao.co.uk]

Do we need a little red book in order to get priority boarding when we fly this Red Queue?

 

[Archphoto]

Whilst it's only a rumour, that name just *does not* scream "Premium Airline" to me at all - regardless of the fact that red is lucky in Asia, Red Q sounds cheap and nasty.

If this turns out to be *the* best name Qantas' selected marketing panel/ad agency could come up with, it's no wonder they're in such a mess with everything else.

I think a 5 year old could come up with a better suggestion. . . . . :mrgreen:

 

[Hvr]

I agree that there are better names, I mean I've heard the name Qantasia mentioned here a few times and it has a particular panache.