A recent marketing campaign by Malaysia Airlines in Australia and New Zealand was asking customers what they would like to do before they die as a bucket list challenge.

 

The campaign has now been removed due to its controversy:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/61032441/Malaysia-Airlines-mocked-for-bucket-list-challenge

 

 

Not a good campaign for an airline in recovery mode.  :rolleyes:

Good grief... I hope they fired that Marketing / PR firm real quick. MH was a great airline that I thoroughly enjoyed traveling with every time I got the opportunity. I am really sorry for the employees that have or will loose their jobs because of the restructuring.

I saw that Matthew.  A big WHOOPS on their part.

 

If one does decide to fly on Malaysia Airlines, having plenty of room isn't a problem.  The pictures are almost spooky:

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/malaysia-airlines-flights-left-rows-4114263

Malaysia airlines asking it's customers what they would like to do before they die... After 2 air crashes... Hmph, that's brilliant marketing! :Big Grin:

 

On the serious side though, I doubt any of the two crashes are Malaysians fault and I have flown with them before... An amazing airline and I would fly with them again.

Malaysia airlines asking it's customers what they would like to do before they die... After 2 air crashes... Hmph, that's brilliant marketing!

 

Now that kind of reminds of me how a ride at the theme park becomes more popular after someone died while riding it....it increases the fear factor 

Which is more likely?  That Malaysia Airlines put up the most insensitive thing possible that couldn't do anything other than create an outrage, or that someone hacked their web site?

 

Hook

Jeez.  This is about as classy as what happened after Air Florida flight 90 crashed on takeoff from Washington DC and went  into the Potomac river.  Howard Stern called Air Florida *on the air* to inquire about the price of a ticket from DC to the 14th Street Bridge.

 

I stayed home that day so I wasn't on the bridge, but a friend of mine crossed shortly after the crash and saw bodies in the water.

 

Hook

 

 

Which is more likely?  That Malaysia Airlines put up the most insensitive thing possible that couldn't do anything other than create an outrage, or that someone hacked their web site?

 

Unfortunately the former.  Sorry to say I'm speaking from professional experience.  As a mentor of mine liked to say, "corporate crises start in the marketing department."

hich is more likely?  That Malaysia Airlines put up the most insensitive thing possible that couldn't do anything other than create an outrage, or that someone hacked their web site?

 

As Tom pointed out it would have been an advertising firm hired by MA to do the marketing. Most likely this was an oversight due to differences in culture as they were trying to market towards New Zealand and Australia and probably didn't realize what a 'bucket list' really means. Maybe they were banking on the popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge.....who knows.

 

MA was very quick in removing the campaign. 

 

 

Most likely this was an oversight due to differences in culture

 

Good point.  It would have been best if Malaysian had had a few locals among their own marketing/supervisory staff, but that may not have been the case.  

 

 

trying to market towards New Zealand and Australia and probably didn't realize what a 'bucket list' really means. Maybe they were banking on the popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge.....who knows.

 

You've got to be joking.

All of this stems from the mediocrity of the Malaysian education system, and the incompetence of the corrupt government. 

 

From a Malaysian, now living in Australia.  

You've got to be joking.

 

Things get lost in translation all the time. The campaign was called the 'Bucket List Challenge' so not so different terminology to 'Ice Bucket Challenge' if English was not your first language this may have seemed like a good idea at the time.

This is pretty straightforward, and doesn't appear open to interpretation:

 

 

a 500 character or less answer to the following promotional question “What and where would you like to tick off on your bucket list, and explain why?”

 

 

What it comes down to it who knows what a board room meeting of marketing folks in Malaysia were thinking when they came up with this one.......But they have said in the article that this campaign was in development since before the recent accidents so not the best timing to launch it I guess

Not a good campaign for an airline in recovery mode.

 

Pointing all of the cannons at the deck and yelling,"fire when ready", to find out who trusts you. Not good!

 

Marketing / Public Relations say;

"A recent marketing campaign by Malaysia Airlines in Australia and New Zealand was asking customers what they would like to do before they die as a bucket list challenge."

 

Potential customers think;

"If you plan on flying Malaysia, you might want to put your life in order first."

 

I am sure that wasn't the message they intended. I bet there are some marketing people with a pretty horrified look on their face.

 

It is bad enough that they shot themselves in the foot during the MH370 investigation. Now they inadvertently hired someone who shot them in the foot as well.

 

I have no experience with Malaysia Airlines so it is not my place to criticize and I have read good things about them up until, . . . . . . . well you know.

 

My response to their bucket list: (humor on!)

 

(1) HALO skydiving.

(2) Long (very long) distance swimming.

(3) Learning all languages foreign to me.

(4) Learn how to identify potentially hostile territory - threat avoidance.

(5) Tell my wife how much I have always loved her. She won't believe me, but I will tell her anyway.

 

My heart is still sad and goes out to the innocent victims of both lost flights.

 

Best regards to all,