United Airlines has launched a new media network, the first in the airline industry, aimed at targetting content-specific ads to flyers. But the practical side effect, already in effect, is obligatory ads (and a lot of them) before screening any content, which is a very customer-unfriendly change.
As United Airlines Launches Kinective Media Network To Generate Revenue For MileagePlus, Passengers Now Forced To Watch Ads Before Any Content
United’s new venture is called Kinective Media and is billed as the first airline media network that “uses insights from travel behaviors to connect customers to personalized, real-time advertising, content, experiences and offers from leading brands.”
- The new technology platform allows marketers to scale their reach across a wide range of channels including United’s mobile app and inflight entertainment screens
- United claims its MileagePlus members will receive additional value through more personalized and real-time offers and experiences that drive even greater loyalty
Here’s how Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus (whom I hold in very low regard for his dramatic devaluation of MileagePlus redemption pricing during his short tenure), describes the new endeavor:
“We’ve built a first-of-its-kind, real-time, adtech-enabled traveler media network where brands have already started connecting to premium audiences at an unmatched scale. Unlike some commerce media platforms, United gives brands across a wide range of industries the ability to reach engaged customers throughout the entire marketing funnel – from brand consideration to conversion – in a way that’s highly personalized and relevant, and we’re already seeing impressive results. There has been a huge strategic shift within this high growth sector in the past five years where advertisers and brands have come together to determine how best to connect with consumers in a way that’s valuable, effective and personalized.”
My translation: blah, blah, blah…we are going to force you to watch ads.
And that’s really the practical result of this rejiggering of the system. Even before this announcement, I was preparing a post on a new problem onboard: you can no longer “skip” the ads before watching a movie or TV show. In the past, you could just fast-forward through them but not any longer: you are stuck watching them now with no ability to skip.
And instead of three ads, there are now five…Yes, five ads every time you open a new program.
United has to pay for its new screens somehow…and this is it.
I think the new system stinks, full stop. My answer is that I am not going to bother with it unless beyond the in-flight map, unless I’m on a long flight with absolutely nothing better to do. Please spare me from another Marriott ad…
CEO Scott Kirby talks a good talk about creating a premium product onboard, but there’s nothing premium about forcing passengers to watch five ads before they can access content.
I don’t want it. Nobody wants it.
Too bad, so sad, though, right?
It’s coming. It’s here on some aircraft. And it’s here to stay. It’s a lucrative deal and money talks.
So while I am griping about it here, perhaps a bit too much, I consider the matter closed and simply a new downside to the United flying experience. I’ll survive and it won’t change my travel patterns, so United has already won.
Now to be fair, the “mandatory ads” would likely have happened anyway and may not be directly related to Kinective Media. But it is reasonable to draw the connection because advertisers will pay a premium for a captive audience versus ads that you can instantly fast-forward through.
CONCLUSION
United has introduced Kinective Media, a new ad network that will take your personal info and, without sharing any details, nevertheless “process it” to offer custom-tailored ad content. If the new IFE system is any indication, you will not be able to skip through it (though maybe United will start offering a “Premium” subscription like YouTube…).
Clearly, I’m not excited about this change or about anything Nunn has done during his time at MileagePlus, but I also understand that “business is business” and United will do all it can to squeeze every penny out of every revenue source.