Examining the relationship between airline marketing communications and destination branding on social demographic groups

Abstract

Objective – to investigate the role of airline marketing communications in shaping brand perception and destination branding across different age groups and to identify which communication tools and channels are most effective for each segment. Methods – a consumer survey of 169 airline service users was conducted to collect empirical data on customer attitudes and preferences and communication channels usage; one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to test six hypotheses and identify statistically significant differences in marketing communication effectiveness across five age groups. The hypothesis was formulated based on theoretical and practical evidence highlighting the importance of age as a determinant of communication channel selection and message perception. Results - confirmed that age-related differences in consumer behavior significantly affect the impact of promotional channels and communication strategies used by airlines. Younger and older consumers respond differently to specific communication tools, which has important implications for strategic marketing planning. Conclusions – age-based segmentation provides a pragmatic and effective basis for differentiating airline marketing communication strategies; airlines are recommended to prioritize digital marketplaces and loyalty programs for younger passengers while directing website-based communication toward older cohorts, and to align promotional product offerings with age-specific preferences to enhance brand recognition and destination branding outcomes.