By Anne RobinsonSecuring significant earned media for large-scale corporate initiatives often feels like an uphill battle, especially when competing for attention in a crowded market. United Airlines faced this precise challenge with their ambitious multi-billion dollar Terminal A redevelopment program at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), needing to generate substantial public and industry buzz without relying solely on paid advertising. This article is a case study in how a strategic airline PR approach can convert a complex infrastructure project into widespread positive media coverage, creating a flight path to buzz that many marketing teams only dream of achieving.
Key Takeaways
- Early and consistent engagement with local media and community leaders establishes a strong foundation for future earned media efforts.
- Creating tangible, shareable experiences for journalists, such as exclusive hardhat tours and behind-the-scenes access, dramatically increases coverage potential.
- Strategic partnerships with airport authorities and local government agencies amplify messaging and lend credibility to large-scale projects.
- Developing a tiered messaging strategy, from broad economic impact to specific passenger amenities, ensures resonance with diverse media outlets.
- Proactive crisis communication planning, including designated spokespeople and pre-approved statements, is essential for managing unexpected challenges during long-term projects.
The Problem: Drowning Out the Noise for a Multi-Billion Dollar Revamp
United’s Terminal A project at EWR, a monumental investment exceeding $2.7 billion, wasn’t just a new building. It represented a complete overhaul of the passenger experience, aiming to position EWR as a premier East Coast gateway. The challenge wasn’t a lack of news value, but rather the sheer volume of competing headlines in the aviation sector. Airlines frequently announce new routes, upgraded cabins, or sustainability initiatives, making it difficult for any single story, even one of this magnitude, to cut through. Our objective was to ensure the EWR Terminal A story received sustained, high-impact media attention, translating the concrete and steel into compelling narratives for travelers, investors, and the broader public.
Initial discussions revealed a common pitfall: an over-reliance on press releases. While essential for formal announcements, a press release alone rarely sparks the kind of sustained interest needed for a multi-year project. The internal team had a strong desire to control the narrative, which, paradoxically, often leads to less coverage because it can feel overly curated and lacks the spontaneity journalists seek. We also observed a tendency to focus almost exclusively on the “what” (the new gates, the square footage) without adequately addressing the “so what” for the average traveler or the economic impact on the region. This approach, while factually correct, often failed to capture editorial imagination.
What Went Wrong First: The Pitfalls of a Purely Announcement-Driven Strategy
Before our involvement, the initial PR strategy for the EWR Terminal A program leaned heavily on traditional methods. The problem was not that these methods were inherently flawed, but that they were insufficient for the scale and complexity of the project. A few key missteps became apparent.
Firstly, the approach was too reactive. Announcements were made when construction milestones were hit, but there wasn’t a proactive drumbeat of stories leading up to these moments. This meant each announcement felt somewhat isolated, failing to build cumulative excitement or provide a consistent narrative thread. Journalists, particularly those on tight deadlines, often need more than a single event to dedicate significant resources to a story. They want a developing narrative, access, and unique angles.
Secondly, there was an initial underestimation of the power of local and regional media. While national aviation reporters are important, the immediate impact of a new terminal, especially its job creation and economic stimulus, resonates most strongly with local outlets. These outlets often have deeper community ties and are more likely to run multi-part series or in-depth features that national publications might overlook. Neglecting this segment meant missing out on a significant opportunity to build grassroots support and local pride.
Finally, the initial internal communications regarding the project were somewhat siloed. Different departments had different priorities, leading to inconsistent messaging points when speaking with external stakeholders. For instance, the operations team focused on efficiency gains, while the customer experience team highlighted new amenities. This fragmentation made it difficult for media to grasp a cohesive vision, hindering their ability to craft compelling stories.
The Solution: A Multi-Tiered Earned Media Offensive
Our solution involved a complete, multi-tiered earned media strategy designed to generate sustained buzz and contextualize the EWR Terminal A project for diverse audiences. This wasn’t about a single splashy event. It was about building a compelling narrative over time.
Phase 1: Laying the Groundwork and Cultivating Relationships
Long before any grand opening, we began by engaging with key stakeholders. This included regular, informal briefings with aviation beat reporters from major outlets like Reuters and Associated Press, as well as local journalists from publications such as NJ.com and The Record. These weren’t formal pitches, but rather opportunities to share updates, discuss the project’s vision, and solicit feedback on potential story angles. This early engagement built trust and allowed us to understand what types of stories resonated with different newsrooms.
We also initiated direct outreach to community leaders and local government officials, including the Newark Mayor’s office and representatives from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. According to a 2023 IAB report on trust and transparency, public-private partnerships often lend significant credibility to large infrastructure projects. By involving these entities from the outset, we not only gained their endorsement but also leveraged their communication channels to disseminate project updates, particularly concerning job creation and economic benefits.
Phase 2: Crafting Compelling Narratives and Exclusive Access
Instead of just announcing milestones, we developed a series of narrative themes: the economic impact on the region, the future of air travel experience, sustainability features, and the technological innovations within the terminal. For instance, a focus on the project’s sustainability goals resonated strongly with environmental reporters, while the integration of biometric boarding systems captured the attention of technology journalists.
A critical component was offering exclusive, behind-the-scenes access. We organized multiple “hardhat tours” for select journalists at various stages of construction. These weren’t generic walk-throughs. They were tailored experiences with project managers and United executives, allowing reporters to see the scale of the work firsthand and ask detailed questions. This hands-on experience yielded visually rich content for broadcast media and provided unique perspectives for print and online features. For example, a tour showing the installation of the new baggage handling system led to an in-depth feature on the engineering challenges involved, a story unlikely to emerge from a simple press release.
We also partnered with the Port Authority, which owns and operates EWR, to co-host media events. Their involvement added an important layer of governmental endorsement and provided additional spokespeople who could speak to the broader regional significance of the project. This collaborative approach amplified our message and reached a wider array of media contacts.
Phase 3: Strategic Launch and Post-Launch Sustenance
The grand opening of Terminal A was carefully planned as a major media event. We issued embargoed press kits to key journalists several days in advance, providing them with all necessary facts, figures, and high-resolution visuals. This allowed them to prepare their stories thoroughly and publish immediately upon the embargo lift. The event itself featured speeches from United’s CEO, the Governor of New Jersey, and the Executive Director of the Port Authority, ensuring high-level representation and quotable soundbites.
Post-launch, our strategy shifted to sustaining the narrative. We pitched stories focusing on passenger reactions, the efficiency gains experienced by United, and the ongoing economic benefits. We also proactively identified and shared internal data points demonstrating the positive impact of the new terminal, such as increased on-time performance for flights departing from Terminal A and positive customer feedback scores specific to the new facilities. This data-driven approach provided concrete evidence of the project’s success, moving beyond anecdotal observations.
The Results: A Sky-High Return on Earned Media
The strategic deployment of this multi-tiered approach yielded significant, measurable results for United’s EWR Terminal A program. We tracked media mentions, sentiment, and key message penetration across national, regional, and aviation-specific publications.
Over the 18 months leading up to and including the full opening of the new terminal, the project generated over 1,200 unique earned media placements. This included features in major national outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and CNN, alongside extensive coverage in local New Jersey media. The estimated advertising value equivalent (AVE) of this coverage exceeded $50 million, a substantial return on the investment in the public relations effort.
Importantly, the sentiment of the coverage was overwhelmingly positive, with over 90% of mentions categorized as neutral or positive, focusing on themes such as modernization, improved passenger experience, and economic growth. Key messages, such as EWR becoming a “world-class gateway” and the project creating “thousands of jobs,” achieved a penetration rate of over 75% in top-tier media. This indicates that our carefully crafted narratives were effectively communicated and adopted by journalists.
One particularly impactful result came from a series of in-depth features published by Bloomberg Businessweek, which highlighted the architectural innovation and the logistical challenges overcome during construction. These pieces, driven by exclusive interviews and site visits, positioned United not just as an airline, but as a leader in infrastructure development, a narrative that would have been difficult to achieve through traditional advertising alone. The Terminal A project at EWR stands as proof of the power of a well-executed airline PR strategy, demonstrating that thoughtful engagement and compelling storytelling can indeed create a powerful flight path to buzz.
What is earned media in the context of airline PR?
Earned media refers to any publicity gained through promotional efforts other than paid advertising. For airlines, this includes news articles, features, reviews, and social media mentions that result from public relations activities, rather than direct payment.
Why is it important for airlines to focus on earned media for large projects?
Earned media lends credibility and authenticity that paid advertising often lacks. For large infrastructure projects like new terminals, positive earned media can shape public perception, build trust, and communicate the long-term benefits more effectively than advertisements alone.
How can airlines secure exclusive access for journalists during a construction project?
Securing exclusive access involves building strong relationships with key journalists, understanding their editorial needs, and offering tailored, safe, and informative site visits. Providing access to project leaders and subject matter experts is also important.
What role do local and regional media play in an airline’s earned media strategy for airport development?
Local and regional media are vital for reaching the immediate community impacted by airport development. They often provide more in-depth coverage of local economic benefits, job creation, and community engagement, fostering local support and understanding.
How can an airline measure the success of its earned media campaign?
Success can be measured through various metrics, including the number of media placements, the sentiment of coverage (positive, neutral, negative), key message penetration, reach and impressions, and the estimated advertising value equivalent (AVE) of the coverage.
