A bizarre endorsement

Like testimonials, product endorsements are a powerful way to convince undecided customers that they can indeed move beyond attention, interest and desire in the AIDA process and get to action – ie, buy. To work, you normally choose an endorser with positive values, somebody of authority perhaps, an expert, someone with a emotional image that you trust.

When I saw this example of a product endorsement in Italy – for Samsonite, a particularly strong international brand in image terms – I couldn’t see the link to a bucket-shop, discount brand like Ryanair. Ryanair has been described by a consumer watchdog as “the worst offender” in the airline industry for its fee models and pricing tactics.

Is this a partnership Samsonite feels comfortable with?

Or was the association with an airline that is mega-strict with its cabin luggage rule more important?

I tell my students that marketing is a matching process. So what is the more important match for Samsonite with this one – the match relating to the functional benefit (of getting this case into lockers), or the match on the emotional image level?

I know which one would be more important if it were my decision…