Emboldened Planemaker Goes On The Offensive
Many of America's most successful companies are under fire for
owning business aircraft. Despite a massive outcry from an arguably
misinformed public, those execs still need to fly... and Hawker
Beechcraft Corporation says it's here to help.
After initially taking
a light-hearted approach in regards to the
furor against corporate aircraft, Hawker Beech goes on the
offensive in its latest advertising campaign. The company says it
plans to reach out to corporations who are under intense pressure
to divest their business aircraft.
"Many in the media and
some politicians have misrepresented business aircraft as a symbol
of excess instead of an increasingly necessary business tool," said
Charles Mayer, vice president of Marketing at HBC. "This negative
stereotype is damaging the ability of American corporations to
compete globally and, at the same time, jeopardizing thousands of
American aviation jobs."
"Frankly, we are puzzled by this approach given the importance
of aviation to the American economy," Mayer added. "It not only
represents more than 5.5 percent of total GDP, but is an industry
that America dominates globally. It is time to embrace our
strongest industries, not destroy them."
In the first of a series of advertisements, HBC pens an open
letter to Starbucks sharing support for the company's business
aircraft needs via the headline, "Dear Starbucks, You Still Need To
Fly. We're Here To Help."
As ANN reported, Starbucks put its brand-new
Gulfstream G550 up for sale last month, after flying less than 20
cycles on the aircraft.
"Starbucks is a uniquely American success story with thousands
of locations in more than 40 countries," Mayer said. "Like most
successful corporations, Starbucks relies on business aircraft to
manage and grow its business worldwide. We are here to help them
fly even more efficiently than before by showing them how to
right-size their flight department."
Mayer points to the Hawker 4000... which, like larger and much
costlier aircraft, is ideally suited to intercontinental flights.
With its industry-first composite construction that is lighter and
stronger than aluminum, and its ability to carry eight passengers
in stand-up, stretch-out comfort, the Hawker 4000 does most of what
many corporations' bigger jets do, but at half the price.
"By right-sizing their fleet to the revolutionary Hawker 4000,
Starbucks would give up almost nothing in capability, but gain a
dramatic increase in efficiency -- something the media,
politicians and even their shareholders will appreciate," Mayer
said.
HBC's advertising campaign went public on Thursday, in national
business publications including the Wall Street Journal, Investors
Business Daily, Financial Times and others.