United Launches Airline Industry's First Media Network

Rhea-AI Summary

United Airlines has launched Kinective Media, the airline industry's first media network that utilizes travel behavior insights to deliver personalized advertising and experiences. This new platform allows marketers to reach targeted audience segments through United's mobile app and inflight entertainment screens. United has partnered with several global brands and agencies, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy's, and Chase United Co-Brand Credit Cards. The formal commercial launch is planned for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The platform aims to enhance customer loyalty by providing highly relevant, real-time offers without sharing personally identifiable information. Customers can opt out of targeted ads at any time.

Positive

• United Airlines launches first-of-its-kind media network, Kinective Media.
• Uses travel behavior insights to provide personalized advertising.
• Partnerships with major global brands like Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy's, and Chase United Co-Brand Credit Cards.
• Scalable content through United's award-winning mobile app and extensive inflight entertainment screens.
• Commercial launch planned at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
• Enhanced customer loyalty through personalized and real-time offers.

Negative

• Potential privacy concerns despite anonymized data usage.
• Dependence on customer opt-in for targeted advertising success.
• Marketing and customer engagement effectiveness yet to be proven at scale.

Kinective Media by United Airlines is the only media network that uses insights from travel behaviors to connect customers to personalized advertising, experiences and offers from leading brands

Advertising technology platform uses United's data to create anonymized audience segments that marketers can reach on the airline's mobile app, inflight entertainment screens and more

United is already working with dozens of global brands and agencies including Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy's, Chase United Co-Brand Credit Cards, TelevisaUnivision, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Dentsu

Commercial launch planned at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

CHICAGO, June 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced the launch of Kinective Media by United Airlines - the first media network that uses insights from travel behaviors to connect customers to personalized, real-time advertising, content, experiences and offers from leading brands.

The new technology platform gives marketers the opportunity to scale their reach across a wide range of channels including United's award-winning mobile app and inflight entertainment screens. And the airline expects its MileagePlus® members will receive additional value through more personalized and real-time offers and experiences that drive even greater loyalty.

Kinective Media is already working with brands such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy's, Chase United Co-Brand Credit Cards, TelevisaUnivision, IHG Hotels & Resorts, as well as agency groups like Dentsu. The focus is on premium brand relationships across key verticals such as retail, luxury goods, financial services, automotive, media brands and travel.

Kinective Media plans a formal commercial launch at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

"We've built a first-of-its-kind, real-time, adtech-enabled traveler media network where brands have already started connecting to premium audiences at an unmatched scale," said Richard Nunn, CEO of MileagePlus. "Unlike some commerce media platforms, United gives brands across a wide range of industries the ability to reach engaged customers throughout the entire marketing funnel – from brand consideration to conversion – in a way that's highly personalized and relevant, and we're already seeing impressive results. There has been a huge strategic shift within this high growth sector in the past five years where advertisers and brands have come together to determine how best to connect with consumers in a way that's valuable, effective and personalized."

Kinective Media aims to enhance the travel experience while growing the trust that travelers place in United. Advertisers cannot access the personally identifiable information of United customers - instead, Kinective Media leverages the insights of U.S. customers aged 18 and over to create aggregated and anonymized audience segments that it offers to Kinective Media advertisers. All U.S. customers have the option to opt-out of Kinective Media targeted advertising at any time.

United's Mobile App and Inflight Entertainment Screens

Kinective Media partners can scale their content through two of United's most impactful media channels, among others: its award-winning mobile app and the growing number of inflight entertainment screens across the airline's fleet, which are among the most addressable media assets in the industry.

• The United Mobile App – United has the world's most downloaded airline mobile app, with 110+ million total downloads across IOS & Android and nearly 100 million sessions per month.
  
  
• United continually seeks to add new, industry-first features to help travelers save time and make the travel experience even easier including the ability to automatically switch from a middle seat to a window or aisle if it becomes available by choosing a seat preference in the seat map, and live personalized flight notifications with Live Activities for iPhone.
  
  
• Seatback Entertainment – United has nearly 100,000 seatback screens across its fleet, with plans to grow these numbers as the airline takes delivery of new airplanes and retrofits existing aircraft as part of its United Next plan.
  
  There is the potential for 3.5 hours of attention per traveler, based on average flight time. United's seatback screen content – which is also available on customer's personal devices –includes free access to more than 2,800 movies and shows, as well as a new 3D moving map, personalized connecting gate information and digitized food and drink menus. The inflight content is available in more than 20 different languages.
  
  The new United signature interiors include 16-inch HD touch screens in each United Polaris® business class seat, 13-inch screens in every first class seat and 10-inch screens in every United Economy seat.

For more information about Kinective Media by United Airlines, visit http://kinectivemedia.com.

About MileagePlus

MileagePlus is one of the most valuable airline loyalty programs in the world with nearly 40 million active members, and more than 100 program partners. In 2020, United pioneered an industry-first transaction when it secured financing against MileagePlus and today some analysts value the program at more than $22 billion. Over the past several years, United has continually improved MileagePlus including a change so that miles never expire, the introduction of PlusPoints, an industry-leading upgrade benefit for Premier® members and most recently, a feature that lets members 'pool' their miles into a shared account to maximize the options for group trips.

About United

At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

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SOURCE United Airlines

FAQ

What is Kinective Media by United Airlines?

Kinective Media by United Airlines is a media network that uses travel behavior insights to provide personalized advertising and experiences to customers.

How does Kinective Media deliver personalized advertisements?

Kinective Media uses anonymized audience segments created from travel data to deliver personalized ads through United's mobile app and inflight entertainment screens.

Which brands are partnering with Kinective Media?

Brands partnering with Kinective Media include Norwegian Cruise Line, Macy's, Chase United Co-Brand Credit Cards, TelevisaUnivision, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Dentsu.

When is Kinective Media's commercial launch?

Kinective Media's commercial launch is planned at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Can United customers opt out of Kinective Media targeted advertising?

Yes, United customers can opt out of Kinective Media targeted advertising at any time.

What media channels does Kinective Media use?

Kinective Media uses United's mobile app and inflight entertainment screens among other channels to reach its audience.

What are the benefits for United customers using Kinective Media?

United customers benefit from highly personalized and real-time offers, enhancing their travel experience and loyalty.