Virgin Blue's 'Name the Airline' Competition

[stuartfaz]

Aaah, but 'red' immediately brings up images of blood, or red ink (ie losses). That kind of negative imagery doesn't help. 'Blue' avoids that by being a friendly colour (eg Blue Sky or Blue ocean etc) - just don't mention "Blue Movie Air"

Naming a company is such a fun task. Hope they choose a good name - nothing dopey. I am counting on them to give me cheap airfares (on Qantas ) to the U.S

Aww, but it sounded good to me...it just rolled off the tongue like 'Hey, I'm flying to the U.S. (pause for effect) on red'

Besides, I don't think blue as in blue ocean is as calming in the airline context.

I mean, if I come into contact with the blue ocean mid-flight, then alarm bells go off in my head.

Oh well, just so long as the name doesn't suck, I'm satisfied. I too am counting on them for cheap airfares to the U.S., but with them. If it's anything like DJ, then I'm sold.

 

[GCS]

These blokes Virgin Blue shortlists names for its new International Airline. have reporterd the following shortlist:

Matilda Blue
V Australia Airlines
Australia Blue
Virgin Pacific
Amelia Blue
Didgeree Blue
Liberty Blue
Virgin Australia

 

[Mal]

My bet is the winner will either be: Matilda Blue or Didgeree Blue

While the rest are ok, they're too generic really.

 

[stuartfaz]

These blokes Virgin Blue shortlists names for its new International Airline. have reporterd the following shortlist:

Matilda Blue
V Australia Airlines
Australia Blue
Virgin Pacific
Amelia Blue
Didgeree Blue
Liberty Blue
Virgin Australia

Aww damn, I wanted to suggest Virgin Pacific but thought it wouldn't be allowed. Oh well.

If you'll all allow, I'd like to whittle these down using the 'Deal or No Deal' method.

Matilda Blue NO DEAL - 1. please... 2. international airline - nobody else gets the reference
V Australia Airlines DEAL - that's quite a catchy name
Australia Blue NO DEAL - don't like it
Virgin Pacific DEAL - makes sense with Virgin Atlantic, DJ may have to lobby Singapore Airlines for the 'Virgin' rights though
Amelia Blue NO DEAL - look at the description, the airline's not going to be just a Aus - US service.
Didgeree Blue NO DEAL - urgh... cornier than a packet of Doritos.
Liberty Blue NO DEAL - see Amelia Blue
Virgin Australia NO DEAL - not really creative, is it?

I'd like Virgin Pacific to win, so I can think I thought of it first (I'm deluded ) but my vote's going to V Australia Airlines.

I wouldn't mind flying VAA to the US.

 

[NYCguy]

Matilda Blue? Didgeree Blue? Cor, Cobba - chuck another shrimp on the barbie and crack us a tinny, we're going for a Captain Cook at Oztraya.



Ugh... terrible. But not as bad as "Amelia" - didn't Ms Earhart disappear off the face of the earth on one of her trips? Hardly the connotation one would want associated with an airline, particularly if you are trying the attract Americans. Their's is the land where the 13th floor is a rarity! Liberty Blue might make it more attractive to citizens of the LOTFAP.

I'd be happy with Virgin Pacific, Virgin Australia or even Australia Blue. Generic, maybe, but professional and reassuring.

 

[simongr]

The finalists have already won a trip to Sydney for the launch (big whoop)

The 7 losing finalists get one free return trip anywhere on the Virgin Blue network. The winner gets 2 return trips a year for 5 years anywhere on the Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue or Whatever-theyre-calling-the-new-airline-thats-going-to-the-US networks, up to a value of $21,500.

Not a bad prize

Many apologies - had read through it a couple of times and the prize was buried in the detail so I missed it - mea culpa. Actually quite a nice prize - not hugely valuable - but the thought that you have a long term prize is nice.

Maybe a flight on the new airlines would have been a bit more grabbing

The names really all do suck donkey balls - and that is not an attractive image

The true blue ozzie names are there I guess so that when they choose the one they really want people will go "well it's better than digeree doo" ... I mean blue..

Re the RED suggestion - I think perhaps given QF's red branding this might have confused the public slightly

I think Australia Blue is nice... but as a foreigner I would think that they only flew within Oz (ok so BA doesnt evoke that - but I lived in the UK my entire(ish) life)

I think Virgin Pacific is the best name there - simple, good regional base and a known brand - Virgin - you know you are getting massages in business - there is a business class isn't there?

 

[DJ737]

So what's the result? Virgin have been trumpeting that they would be announcing the result on their web site on June 27 but nothing so far.

Hi there

The results are on the DJ website :

Virgin Blue > News - June 2007 - The Home of Cheap Domestic Flights and Happy Hour

Cheers
DJ737

 

[stuartfaz]

Many apologies - had read through it a couple of times and the prize was buried in the detail so I missed it - mea culpa. Actually quite a nice prize - not hugely valuable - but the thought that you have a long term prize is nice.

Maybe a flight on the new airlines would have been a bit more grabbing

The names really all do suck donkey balls - and that is not an attractive image

The true blue ozzie names are there I guess so that when they choose the one they really want people will go "well it's better than digeree doo" ... I mean blue..

Re the RED suggestion - I think perhaps given QF's red branding this might have confused the public slightly

I think Australia Blue is nice... but as a foreigner I would think that they only flew within Oz (ok so BA doesnt evoke that - but I lived in the UK my entire(ish) life)

I think Virgin Pacific is the best name there - simple, good regional base and a known brand - Virgin - you know you are getting massages in business - there is a business class isn't there?

Just need to pause for a second to get over the donkey balls image...

...

aaand we're back.

VAA (I'm hereby referring to the new airline as the name I want to win - V Australia Airlines - go team) will have a business class. Whether it would be a legit J class or your JQ International-style "business-but-really-economy-plus" class will be revealed at a later date. Knowing Virgin's track record, one can expect something good.

Virgin Pacific, as good a name as it is, may have problems getting off the ground. You'd think that Singapore Airlines letting DJ use 'Virgin' for this venture may just open up the floodgates for Pacific Blue and such to take the all-too-valuable Virgin moniker, something Singapore wouldn't want. Simply using the 'V' is a pretty clever way to get around that.

I'm praying they choose VAA or Virgin Pacific, some of those overly-australian names would make me physically ill

 

[stuartfaz]

VAA (I'm hereby referring to the new airline as the name I want to win - V Australia Airlines - go team)

...also, VAA may be able to...erm...borrow some advertising slogans from the old TAA.

We might get to fly the friendly way all over again .

 

[trooper]

URK!!!! :shock:

If anyone starts singing "Up, up and awaaaaaay...." I'm gonna thump them!:mrgreen:

 

[stuartfaz]

URK!!!! :shock:

If anyone starts singing "Up, up and awaaaaaay...." I'm gonna thump them!:mrgreen:

How about we just call it a day at 'fly the friendly way'

 

[JohnK]

I am counting on them to give me cheap airfares (on Qantas ) to the U.S

Now there is a true frequent flyer. Who cares which airline has the lowest airfare as long as the airline that gives us status follows suit to some degree. I say bring on the competition....

 

[stuartfaz]

Who cares which airline has the lowest airfare as long as the airline that gives us status follows suit to some degree.

All depends on the degree QF follow suit. Seeing as VAA may fly to SFO instead of LAX (possibly codesharing with Virgin America), Qantas may not go nuts on the discounting. Still, any discount on a status-earner is a good discount.

Heres a crazy possibility for you all...could Qantas whip out Jetstar as a competitor on the AUS-SFO routes should VAA choose that route.

Of course, by 'possibility' I mean 'snowflake's-chance-in-hell'

or is it...

...yes it is.

 

[stuartfaz]

here's an interesting hint as to the new name.

only one of the new names, when put into a domain name (www.*name*.com), goes to a Virgin site.

www.virginpacific.com

interesting...

 

[Mal]

here's an interesting hint as to the new name.

only one of the new names, when put into a domain name (www.*name*.com), goes to a Virgin site.

www.virginpacific.com

interesting...

Red herring I think

Registered to Virgin Enterprises Ltd in the UK. Was registered ~10 years ago. So nothing new.

Did you see that Virginpacific.com.au has also been registered? Was registered in April by a "C.R HARRY & D.P HARRY" and is currently redirecting to a generic advertising site. Someone trying to beat Virgin at their own game?

If DJ is considering one of those names and hasn't acquired the rights to the relevant domain names, then they leave themselves open to all sorts of possibilities of 'hijack' from third parties.

 

[oz_mark]

here's an interesting hint as to the new name.

only one of the new names, when put into a domain name (www.*name*.com), goes to a Virgin site.

www.virginpacific.com

interesting...

Yes, but I think you will find that has been there for quite some time.

 

[stuartfaz]

Did you see that Virginpacific.com.au has also been registered? Was registered in April by a "C.R HARRY & D.P HARRY" and is currently redirecting to a generic advertising site. Someone trying to beat Virgin at their own game?

Yeah I did notice that. It's also happened to a lot of the other ones too.

Now that I think of it, Virgin Pacific would've been registered a fair while ago. Just Virgin using logic, I guess.

The other ones must just be fast movers looking to make a quick buck off Virgin Blue.

Makes you wish you had've thought of it.

 

[JohnK]

Heres a crazy possibility for you all...could Qantas whip out Jetstar as a competitor on the AUS-SFO routes should VAA choose that route.

Of course, by 'possibility' I mean 'snowflake's-chance-in-hell'

I understand the point but I think QF would be shooting themselves in the foot trying to pull a stunt like that. I do not think that JQ has much of a reputation and trying to incorporate it into non leisure routes would be asking for trouble. Then again I may also be totally wrong.

Many people fly QF because of the status and the service. I will certainly not be forced into flying JQ internationally. If JQ was my only choice then I will find a *Alliance FF program and carrier and try to get status that way. Any domesic trips will then be on whatever provides the cheapest airfare as I do not think there will be any *Alliance alternative domestically.

The JQ brand has gone way beyond a joke.

 

[simongr]

I am not sure what market the new virgin product will be aimed at - competing with Skybeds across teh pacific or an LCC. If an LCC then JQ would be a good competitor (I know DJ and JQi are not real LCCs but they are as "good" as it gets here at the moment)

 

[NM]

URK!!!! :shock:

If anyone starts singing "Up, up and awaaaaaay...." I'm gonna thump them!:mrgreen:

ok, I consider myself thumped ... I could not resist the singing .