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Multichannel 

(omnichannel) digital 

business strategy

Defines how different 

marketing and supply 

chain channels should 

integrate and support 

each other to drive 

business efficiency 

and effectiveness. As 

noted in Chapter 1, 

in   2012–  13  the  term 

omnichannel became 

used, particularly in the 

retail sector, to reference 

the importance of 

customer touchpoints on 

social media and mobile 

platforms.

Mini Case Study 5.1

In 2004, British Airways launched online services which allowed customers to take control of the booking 

process, so combining new services with reduced costs. BA decided to develop a specific online ad cam‑

paign to create awareness and encourage usage of its Online Value Proposition (OVP). BA’s UK marketing 

manager said about the objective:

British Airways is leading the way in innovating technology to simplify our customers’ journey through the 

airport. The role of this campaign was to give a strong message about what is now available online, over 

and above booking tickets.

BA asks ‘Have you clicked yet?’

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Part 2  Strategy and applications

The aim of the campaign was to educate and change the way in which BA’s customers behave before, 

while and after they travel. The campaign focussed on the key benefits of the new online services – speed, 

ease and convenience – and promoted the ability to check in online and print out a boarding pass. The 

two main target audiences were quite different, early adopters and those who use the web occasion‑

ally, but don’t rely on it. Early adopters were targeted on sites such as T3.co.uk, Newscientist.com and 

DigitalHomeMag.com. Occasional users were reached through ads on sites such as JazzFM.com, Vogue.

com and Menshealth.com.

Traditional media used to deliver the ‘Have you clicked yet?’ message included print, TV and outdoor 

media. The print ad copy, which details the OVP, was:

Your computer is now the airport. Check in online, print your own boarding pass, choose your seat, change 

your booking card and even find hire cars and hotels. Simple.

A range of digital media were used, including ATMs, outdoor LCD transvision screens such as those in 

London rail stations which included Bluecasting where commuters could receive a video on their  Bluetooth‑ 

 enabled mobile phone, and digital escalator panels. More than 650,000 consumers interacted with the ATM 

screen creative. Online ads included overlays and skyscrapers which showed a consumer using their com‑

puter, printing out a ticket and walking across the screen to the airport. Such  rich‑  media campaigns gener‑

ated 17% clickthrough and 15% interaction. The website used in the campaign is shown in Figure 5.3.

Figure 5.3

BA communicates its online value proposition

Source: Based on Revolution (2005); wwwbritishairways.com.

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