I don’t envy Tony Camacho. First, he has to work at Stansted
Airport. Second, he has just launched the UK’s latest budget airline
brand into a sector that makes the Northern Ireland political scene look
friendly.
Before it had even launched, established budget carriers EasyJet, Go and
Ryannair had trashed Buzz for being a ’paint job’ by parent KLM; for
being the ’next Debonair’ (the carrier that went bust last October); and
for ’flying the wrong planes to the wrong airports’.
Today, however, Camacho seems unflustered. Sitting in Buzz’s modern
offices, a few hundred yards from the Stansted runway, he is determined
to stay out of the mud-slinging between EasyJet and BA’s style-conscious
Go.
The 36-year-old son of a Portuguese entrepreneur is the third
30-something, foreign-named marketing chief in the sector.
But, whereas EasyJet’s Stelios Haji-Ioannou is a thrusting Greek
playboy, and Go’s commercial head David Magliano enjoys Soho media
patois, it is airline fuel that runs through Camacho’s veins.
A KLM employee for more than a decade, he has climbed the slippery pole
from check-in assistant to chief marketer for KLM UK, Buzz and its
fledgling ’wings’ alliance, which includes Continental Airlines among
others. Small and smartly turned out, Camacho is soft-spoken and
straightforward.
He is keen to position his carrier in his own image - honest and
professional.
’David Magliano may be better at deconstructing a brand but when it
comes to network planning, the heart of airline marketing, I know my
stuff,’ he says.
’You can have the sexiest brand in the world but unless you’re flying to
the right airports in the right destinations, then you’re dead.’
But Camacho remains brand-conscious. ’As more carriers come into the
market, their routes will overlap, making people study the offerings
more closely.’
As the new boy, Camacho feels he has an advantage and a
disadvantage.
’We have learned a lot from existing players in terms of low fares, high
volume and rigorous cost control, and the need to avoid the low-value
experience offered by some. On the other hand, it is difficult to raise
our brand awareness quickly in a crowded market.’
Camacho is spending more than 10% of Buzz’s turnover on marketing. He
heralded its service last year with a pounds 3m ad burst through WCRS
and another pounds 2m at the beginning of this year. All ads use cartoon
characters and use the strapline: ’Buzz - three people had an idea’ (to
convey the company’s entrepreneurial spirit).
Go’s Magliano quips: ’Yeah - those three people were Stelios, Barbara
Cassani and Michael O’Leary (Ryannair). Buzz copies everything we
do!’
But Camacho believes Buzz has a USP. He is keen to court the
cost-conscious business traveller. Unlike Go, Buzz flies to principal
airports at mainly business destinations, such as Frankfurt. He has also
made great play of its ’pay-as-you-go’ extras geared to businessmen,
such as pounds 10 entry to lounges at all destinations and optional
meals. Ultimately, he would like dedicated parking for frequent flyers
and to eliminate check-in altogether.
Camacho is concentrating on internet and direct mail to hit businesses
with annual travel budgets of less than pounds 50,000 a year. His
agencies are fond of him and attest to his suitability for the task
ahead.
Jonathan Rigby, board account director at WCRS says: ’Too many clients
are scared and restrained by politics, but Tony is refreshing. He
doesn’t come with any preconceptions. You can send him an idea by e-mail
any time and he deals with the issue immediately.’
Trevor Pettit, executive creative director at Buzz’s direct agency
Carlson, agrees: ’He’s a non-bullshitter with a straightforward, robust
point of view. He takes in all opinions then makes his own -
unusual!’
Camacho is in his element moulding the new brand. ’I’ve felt a bit
constrained working for a blue-chip company. I always saw myself doing
my own thing.’
In time, he’d like to concentrate purely on Buzz. He sees potential in
extending the brand into WAP phones and other web services. ’We were
born in the dotcom era and we can become an internet brand,’ he
enthuses.
Such brand-stretching aside, Camacho is under no illusions about
priorities.
’I must get the airline into the black. We’ve said this will happen by
the end of our third year in operation. Within six to nine months I
should find out whether this is possible.’
This will be the acid marketing test and should be viewed against a
decidedly uneven track record for budget airline brands. While Ryannair
and EasyJet are profitable, Go made a pounds 20m loss during its first
17 months. And Debonair and AB Airlines have bitten the dust.
It could be that Camacho’s feet-firmly-on-the-floor approach is spot on
and Buzz will smoothly ascend into profitability.
’Tony will never be a ’personality’ in the Stelios mould,’ says WCRS’
Rigby, ’He will always let his work speak for itself.’
However, Camacho and his purple-suited colleagues may soon find
themselves drawn into the fray. In this aggressive and closely
scrutinised sector, there will be little room for shrinking violets.
Biography
1987-1990
Reservations and ticket office agent, Air France
1990-1995
Sales and creative market roles, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
1995-1997
Marketing manager KLM, UK & Ireland
1999
Marketing director, KLM and Air UK
1999- present
Commercial director, Buzz
