Akron-Canton Airport marketing campaign is truly punchy

GREEN, OH – It just may be that the marketing agency that put Akron-Canton Airport’s (CAK) newest advertising campaign has gone punchy – both figuratively and literally.

GREEN, OH – It just may be that the marketing agency that put Akron-Canton Airport’s (CAK) newest advertising campaign has gone punchy – both figuratively and literally. The center of the marketing push is Punchy Clown, and Punchy’s family is desperate for him to get happy again, and Akron-Canton Airport proposes to be the solution.

All of Punchy’s traveling through big airports, the stress, and the confusion, has taken a toll on him… and his family, and it is time for an intervention!

The airport worked with art director/copywriter team Dave Derby and Randy DeMuesy (Akron) and Authentic Films Studio (Cleveland) to create a video charting Punchy’s road to recovery. Like the popular A&E television show Intervention, the video opens a window on Punchy’s life. It features his brother Karl (a former big airport user), his wife Emily (ok, she enabled his destructive behavior), Punchy’s mom, his son Max, and counselor Dan, an expert in big airport anxiety and recovery.

“We want Punchy to know what a truly relaxing airport experience feels like,” said Kristie Van Auken, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer. “Lots of travelers in our region seem stuck, too, only using one airport, not taking advantage of the fact they have two airports. We hope that our commitment to offering what customers most appreciate: shorter lines, easy walks, lower fares and award-winning service will convince them – like Punchy – that CAK truly is a better way to go.”

“Our punch clown character has long been a symbol of the beaten traveler and is now the symbol of the newly converted,” states Dave Derby, owner of Derby Brand Advertising. “We wanted to create an emotional connection to help amplify that moment of happy discovery a lot of travelers feel when they first travel through CAK – the documentary style (Intervention) was the prefect approach. And Authentic Films did a great job of bringing it (and Punchy) to life.”

“The evolution of Punchy’s story was one of those very simple, great ideas,” said Authentic Films director Kevin Kerwin. “And this everyman we’ve come to know is a great conduit for satire, as well as real human emotions. After all, it’s just horrible when your significant other or family member gets home from one of the big airports and is comatose for two days. Everyone can relate to this experience. Working on this campaign with Akron-Canton Airport, Derby Brand Advertising, and some very talented actors was just as much fun as you might imagine when you watch the video and the spots. We all had a hard time not laughing while shooting.”

To see if Punchy is ready to take this big step toward recovery and to feel happy again, visit www.akroncantonairport.com/intervention .

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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