Air to marketers: uncovering how the simplification of Ryanair’s digital marketing strategy was just what it needed to skyrocket their online presence using TikTok.
Whether Ryanair is your friend or foe, ally or adversary; one things for sure- their social media is pretty fly.
Online Brand Image
Ryanair’s online brand image is not well-loved for its grandiosity or class: what you see is what you get. Ryanair is aware that it boasts none of the lavish features that other airlines might and it leverages this to its advantage. People do not fly with Ryanair for luxury; its affordability and dependability is what the brand is loved for, and the same goes for its social media. Ryanair’s mantra transfers directly onto their social media image; it is realistic, mundane and, most of all, humorous. The cohesiveness between the brand’s shared values and its digital marketing strategy is the leading factor behind the success of Ryanair’s social media.
Boarding the TikTok flight
While most brands fight tooth and nail to protect their brand image by fending off negative comments on TikTok, Ryanair instead embraces its weaknesses, and it works. Instead of mitigating negative comments on social media, it will often agree or satirise its shortcomings. This is the humour that captures the attention of younger consumers and creates a brand image of relatability and congeniality, propelling their earned media with countless comments, likes, reposts, and shares. Ryanair boasts the status of an admirable online brand because it ditches the falsity of conventional marketing in favour of an honest approach.
Ryanair very successfully delivers its value proposition: low-cost flights. As a brand, its offering sells itself. Ryanair does not need to invest heavily in paid media, or work with influencers or carry out expensive collaborations. Instead, Ryanair has proven that owned media can be done just as effectively on a low budget.
Why Ryanair’s content works
Ryanair’s TikTok content is very effective primarily because the video lengths are under 15 seconds, often shorter. This means that Ryanair manages to capture the attention of the viewer in and around the 8.25 second guideline before the viewer swipes from the video. Ryanair do not use flowery language and keep their content to the point. They keep their content relevant, hopping on current trends and applying it to their brand. Their captions range from one word to very short sentences, engaging the audience. Ryanair’s content would not work so effectively without a heavy dose of creativity. Their social media is always topical and involves clever integration of Ryanair into the given topic. Ryanair has identified its target audience of younger Gen-Z users on TikTok and catered to their viewing needs very well. They have developed a good understanding of what the viewer wants and manage to strike gold every time.
Sticking with trends
Ryanair demonstrates its ability to leverage TikTok trends to its advantage. This TikTok shows the clever manipulation of a trending quote from Love Island and the use of the popular actor Timothée Chalamet to relate back to Ryanair flights. This is the humour that garners the attention of Gen-Z viewers and brings that human dimension and relatability to the brand’s page.
What can we take from Ryanair’s TikTok marketing?
- Understanding your audience is a must.
- Identify your weaknesses and use them to generate opportunities.
- Obvious marketing doesn’t work.
- Humour will boost earned media.
- Creativity is key.
- Content is King.