Think that you can escape targeted ads when you are flying? Think again – particularly if you are flying United Airlines. United has begun showing personalized ads on its 100,000+ seat-back screens!
Passengers on United will see still-image ads while swiping through options on their screens. They also will have to watch a 30-second commercial before watching any shows or movies. And, using passenger information, flyers will get personalized ads based on United’s information about them. For example, it might be ads for the cities you live in, cities you are visiting, your age, income level – and even different ads depending on if you are flying coach or first-class.
United is the latest example of a company using customer’s data to sell personalized ads. It joins other companies – such as Walmart, Uber, Instacart, and Home Depot – that use customer data for targeted advertising. Think about the data these companies have about consumers – address, birth date, credit card, purchases, income levels, and much more.
In United’s case, the airline even created a media network (called Kinective Media) to handle passenger information and sell ads to companies such as Norwegian Cruise, Macy’s, IHG Hotels, and more.
Like many other companies, United allows travelers to opt-out of the ads, but first you have to know it’s going on – and how to opt-out.
Come fly with me…
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Discuss the ethics of United’s new advertising plan.
- View United’s data privacy policy: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/customer-data-privacy-policy.html#opting-out
- View United’s opt-out page for in-flight ads: https://uniteddigital.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_88OQmAbr20oeHn8
- Show Kinective Media by United Airlines website: https://kinectivemedia.com/
- Divide students into teams. Have each team select a target market that might fly on United.
- Next, develop in-flight ads to show to that target market.
Source: Grothaus, M. (10 June 2024). United Airlines wants to show you personalized seatback ads: Here’s how to opt out. Fast Company; Haggin, P. (7 June 2024) The ads on your United Airlines in-flight screen are getting a lot more specific. Wall Street Journal.
