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EasyJet, the budget airline operating out of Luton Airport, is to

launch a more mature marketing strategy to counter suspicion of its

low-price service.

The airline is dropping the cartoon-style airplane from its advertising

in favour of a new TV campaign - the first since its launch. In

addition, staff uniforms - to date determinedly casual - are being

smartened up and on-board catering improved.

The pounds 500,000 TV push, set to go on air in July, focuses on the

savings which enable EasyJet to offer lower prices than its rivals. It

is hoped the ad will raise credibility among its target audience.

’We have discovered a large body of people who discount EasyJet as an

option on credibility grounds,’ said marketing director Tony

Anderson.

’From now on the price message will be less dominant, and we are

focusing on the frequency of our service and an explanation of why we

can afford to offer cut-price fares.’

The ad is set in a butcher’s shop and compares a butcher trimming fat

off a joint of meat with EasyJet’s no middle-man, no free-meal

policy.

The new tagline is ’EasyJet, the virtually fat-free airline’.

The company is replacing its casual dress code with chinos and skirts

from Marks & Spencer and tailored shirts by Ben Sherman.

Since its launch, EasyJet has secured around 12% market share of the

London to Scotland routes and gained an estimated 20% share of the

London to Nice route, which has proved its most successful to date. A

new route to Geneva is scheduled later this year.

Last month the airline was temporarily forced to cut services to several

destinations after delays in the delivery of two new aircraft. A full

service will be reintroduced in July.