Uncategorized

If AirAsia’s Low-Cost-No-Frills Is Applied Elsewhere

May 11, 2006

AirAsia has really changed the way Malaysians fly. Before them, everyone flew MAS (and a few on Pelangi Air. Are they still around?) MAS was (and still) is not so cheap. Now, with Tony Fernandez company (their tagline being ‘Now Everyone Can Fly’), people have a cheaper alternative, with their emphazsis of low cost, no frills. That would make MAS not-low-cost, full of frills.

Not low cost, full-of-frills – MAS
Low cost, no-frills – Airasia.

So what if we applied this analogy to other businesses?

Not low cost, full-of-frills – The NST
Low cost, no-frills – The Sun
Heck, The Sun isn’t low cost, it’s FREE. Too bad there are more ads than articles, and there isn’t much to read that you can’t find online. Also too bad only certain people get to read the Sun, since they deliver it to specified locations in the city only. After 9am dun hope to find a copy.
The Sun’s tagline should be – Now Everyone Can Read Newspapers And Leave Them Lying Around Everybody Because It’s Free.

Not low cost, full-of-frills – Those IMAX digital cineplexes at your local shopping centre.
Low cost, no-frills – DVD ciplak (pirated).
Cost of parking in shopping centre – RM3.
Cost of 2 movie tickets – RM20.
Cost of popcorn and soft drink in commemorative cup – RM8.
Cost of gelato ice-cream for your girlfriend to eat during movie because she doesn’t like cheap Cineplex popcorn – RM12.99++
Cost of withdrawing money from the ATM after the movie because you’re broke from too many movies (and gelato) – Priceless.
(Buying pirated DVD is illegal and wrong and bad. Please wait 6 months and pay RM79.90 for the original DVD)
Pirated DVD hawkers’ tagline should be – “This one the REAL Da Vinci Code la, very clear one…”

Not low cost, full-of-frills – Kinokuniya / MPH
Low cost, no-frills – Poh-pu-lah Bookshop
Well, OK, bad analogy, the books cost pretty much the same. But Poh-pu-lah is like DEFINITELY no frills. It’s the kind of bookshop where you find those Mandarin ‘learn to play guitar’ books (with accompanying cassette tape) and eternal offers on ‘Greatest Criminals Minds of the Century’ at the front of the shop. Some branches you can actually buy kapok guitars. And don’t bother asking the sales girl where to find anything.
Poh-pu-lah’s tagline should be – We bring you book shopping the way it was 30 years ago…

Not low cost, full-of-frills – High class coffee at Starbucks as you surf Wifi on the comfortable armchair, with air-conditioning…
Low cost, no-frills – Kedai Kopi Thuan Seng.
I like Kopi Thuan Seng. They’re low cost, and also no-frills. No Wifi, but hey, they have those nice aluminium spittoons with the red dragon motifs on it. And posters of scantily dressed women standing next to giant bottles of beer. Plus, the kick ass coffee cost RM1.00 or less.
Kedai Kopi’s tagline should be – Now Everyone Can Sit Down Here The Whole Day Discussing Politics and Your’s Neighbours Affairs…

13 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *