ScotteVest Founder Says Baggage Fees Are Behind The Move
The founder of ScotteVest SeV clothing says an ad he had
proposed for Delta's Sky Magazine was rejected because it suggested
the garment was a way to avoid paying baggage fees.
Scott Jordan says the vest is designed with multiple pockets,
removable sleeves, and other features including a pocket
specifically sized for an iPad. The proposed ad, which had run in
the New York Times Travel Magazine September 26 "received
tremendous response," according to Jordon. Based on that success,
he said he agreed to spend a large portion of his remaining
advertising budget for the year on an ad in Delta's Sky
Magazine.
The campaign, which is headlined "Most Stylish Way To Beat The
System", shows the vest and many of the things that can be carried
in it. In an e-mail, Jordan says Delta contacted him to say his ad
had been rejected due to "content." He says they offered to
replace "Beat The System" with "Travel the World in Style &
Leave Your Baggage Behind." But Jordan says "It turns out that they
didn't like the other message on the page, 'SCOTTEVEST Travel
Clothing Has Specialized Pockets to Help You Stay Organized &
Avoid Extra Baggage Fees' - particularly the 'Avoid Extra Baggage
Fees.' As evidenced by the recent New York Times analysis of the
airline industry, those baggage fees are what keeps them
going."
The Times article referenced in the e-mail indicates that
airlines collected $769 million in baggage fees in just the first
three months of 2010.
Jordon says he uploaded a YouTube video commenting on the
rejection of the ad, and posted on Twitter as well. And that's when
things really started to happen.
Rejected Ad
"Our media agent (who buys ad placements for us) pleaded with me
to take the video down," Jordan said in the e-mail. "Apparently,
Delta Sky didn't like the truth being exposed for the public to
see. It was communicated to us that we would likely be rejected by
all other airline magazines as well, and that this was causing
major ripples.
"Soon thereafter I was in the middle of a flurry of phone calls.
My advisers, reporters and media agent were all trying to get a
hold of me. It was clear I had hit a nerve with the video, and my
chief adviser Hap Klopp (founder of The North Face) agreed." Jordan
said Scott told him "this is classic David vs. Goliath. Their
reaction shows how touchy of a subject baggage fees are for them.
You've found a way for everyday people to get around their crazy
policies, and you just put a fork in their cash cow."
All this happened in a period from September 29 to October
2.
Jordon said he plans to continue to place the ad, but admits "I
may not be able to go on a plane again."